Statistics office limps on

The Statistics Bureau in Chittagong region has been experiencing a serious shortage of staff.
To make good the shortage of manpower, it sought 13 additional staff of different categories to collect the statistics about Chittagong district which is scheduled to start on February 26.
Sources at the statistics office here said they had been doing additional duty hampering their regular work.
Sources at Chittagong Regional Statistics office said they were always under pressure and it increased when they were to conduct major surveys like collecting statistics about the district.
Mentioning about the next economic census to be held next year, they said it would be very difficult to do the job for them with this workforce.
The Chittagong Zonal Statistics Office sources said they are facing a shortage of human resources at both city and upazila level in the district. There are only 38 staff, out of the required 56, at different upazilas in the district.
Nine upazilas, out of 14, have no Upazila Statistical Officer (USO) for long. Chittagong Regional Statistics officer has been looking after the work of USOs as the posts have been lying vacant in nine upazilas, sources said.
The scenario is almost same in the Chittagong City Corporation areas. Thirteen posts of different categories have been lying vacant out of 24 posts. Like upazila areas, post of Thana Statician (TS), top post in the thana area, remained vacant in two major areas of the port city like Bandar and Pahartali, sources added.
There is alos a shortage of manpower in the regional office in Chittagong district.
The present workforce is 10 against the need for 14. Seventeen posts, out of 32, have been lying vacant in Cox's Bazar district. The posts of USOs at six upazilas, out of eight upazilas in the district, have been lying vacant.
On condition of anonymity, the employees of this department said they have to carry out several surveys and censuses throughout the year which becomes very tough for them due to the shortage of human resources.
According to them, they would have to do 20 surveys within June which is a very tough task for them. They said if the posts were not filled up immediately, it would be tough for them to do the next economic census.
They urged the government to fill up the vacant posts as early as possible. The employees alleged that the government gave appointments against some posts on different occasions at upazila level in Chittagong and Cox's Bazar but they managed to transfer themselves from here by using their political connection.
When asked Wahidur Rahman, regional statistics officer, admitting the shortage of manpower, said they have been managing the office with their extra efforts.
He said he informed the higher authorities about the manpower crisis which would soon be met with changes in the office.