Dhaka, Bangladesh, 26 May 2025: The Economic Relations Division (ERD) of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Finance and the New Development Bank’s (NDB) Independent Evaluation Office (IEO), Internal Audit Department and Compliance and Investigations Department co-hosted a high-level seminar in Dhaka focused on embedding accountability, evaluation, and integrity at the heart of development projects—key pillars for delivering on Bangladesh’s growth priorities.
The seminar, titled “Transforming Development: Building a Culture of Accountability through Evaluation, Auditing, and Ethics” highlighted NDB’s approach to sustainable development through integrated evaluation, audit, and compliance systems. With over 150 participants—including senior level policymakers, development experts, private sector leaders and others—it served as a dynamic platform for cross-learning among emerging economies.
Opening the event, His Excellency Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, Honourable Adviser of the Ministry of Finance, underscored Bangladesh’s commitment to strengthening governance in public investment: “The foundation of sustainable development rests on three pillars: accountability, transparency, and ethical governance. These are not abstract ideals-they are practical necessities. Evaluation, auditing, and compliance are the tools that help us build these pillars. They ensure that our policies and projects do not merely exist on paper, but deliver real, tangible benefits to our citizens.”
Mr. Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky, Secretary of the Economic Relations Division, added: “We must learn from international experiences and adapt global best practices to our own context. The presence of distinguished experts and partners from the New Development Bank, as well as from key ministries and agencies, is a valuable opportunity for dialogue and knowledge exchange.”
The one-day event featured keynote addresses from global leaders in development policy. Nobel Laureate Professor Abhijit Banerjee, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, emphasised the value of evidence-based policymaking and timely impact evaluations in ensuring that development investments deliver real results.
H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, and NDB Governor, shared her country’s efforts to strengthen project transparency through digital monitoring platforms, offering insights relevant to fast-growing economies like Bangladesh.
Participants also explored key themes including the role of evaluation in accelerating the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), private sector engagement in development interventions, risk-based internal auditing, and ethical standards in development finance. These sessions were led by senior officials from NDB and enriched by perspectives from international partners such as the Asian Development Bank, the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation of South Africa, the Ministry of Finance, Brazil, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
“Good development isn’t just about how much is built, but how well it lasts—economically, socially, and institutionally,” said Mr. Henrique Pissaia, Principal Professional Specialist at NDB’s Independent Evaluation Office. “This seminar showed that accountability and learning are catalysts for better results. Bangladesh’s leadership in this space reflects our shared commitment to making learning, ethics, and South-South knowledge exchange central to impact-driven development.”
The seminar signalled growing cooperation between NDB and Bangladesh, which joined the Bank in 2021 – the first non-BRICS country to do so. As the Government of Bangladesh continues to scale up its infrastructure ambitions, today’s discussions underscored the importance it places on good governance, evaluability and long-term sustainability, as well as NDB’s commitment to working closely with Bangladesh, financing infrastructure and sustainable development projects that support its national development objectives and commitments under the SDGs.