Project profile — Strengthening Public Expenditure Management Program (SPEMP)

• Bangladesh (100.00%)

• Public finance management:
Public finance management (15111) (1.00%)
Budget planning (15117) (74.25%)
National audit (15118) (18.81%)
Legislatures and political parties (15152) (5.94%)

• Participatory development and good governance (significant objective)
• Gender equality (significant objective)

This project aims to enhance efficiency, effectiveness and accountability in the management and use of public funds to accelerate implementing national development priorities leading to greater poverty reduction and sustainable economic growth in Bangladesh. It is an umbrella reform program in public financial management which seeks to provide technical assistance, advice and analytical inputs to selected Government institutions. This includes the National Board of Revenue, Cabinet Division, Ministry of Finance, Controller General of Accounts, and the Office of Comptroller and Auditor General. The project also seeks to maintain fiscal discipline, allocate resources in line with Government priorities, promote efficient and accountable use of public resources and delivery of services. Project activities include: (1) mobilizing domestic resource; (2) conducting macro-fiscal forecasting and debt management; (3) incorporating an integrated budget and accounting system (IBAS++) and an integrated financial management information system (IFMIS); (4) ensuring accountability through change management; (5) improving government performance management; and (6) strengthening state-owned enterprises governance.

N/A

Results achieved as of March 2025 include: (1) transformed public financial and treasury management through enhanced iBAS++ implementation down to district level. Digitized government payment systems now allow timely payments, cutting costs and reducing corruption. Electronic fund transfers currently reach over 37 million people (employees, pensioners, teachers, students, safety-net beneficiaries, vendors; (2) developed a new macro-fiscal model and provided training that improved forecasting across 50 macroeconomic indicators, covering the real, monetary, fiscal, and external sectors; (3) strengthened debt management through the use of a quarterly Medium-Term Debt Strategy, completion of a Debt Sustainability Analysis, and publication of borrowing and debt stock data online; (4) enhanced capacity of Budget Management Committees and Working Groups for more systematic budget ceiling allocation, timely releases, and increased social spending at departmental levels; (5) developed standard operating procedures, a strategic implementation plan, a risk-based audit manual, and a risk register to initiate internal audits and follow-up actions; (6) introduced reforms including debt and liability regulations, public disclosure of audited financials, and independent performance evaluation guidelines for state-owned enterprises and autonomous bodies; and (7) the Medium-Term Budget Framework reformed to integrate multi-year investment plans in 8 of 13 sectors.

• Proactive disclosure