Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD) research director Khondaker Golam Moazzem said the interim government must address institutional shortcomings, particularly the lack of a dedicated body for the National Social Insurance Scheme (NSIS).

He noted that coordination challenges have led to fragmented efforts across ministries, with frequent leadership changes and limited institutional memory due to inadequate documentation.

He made this statement at the Second Social Insurance Forum (SIF), jointly organized by the Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, at InterContinental Dhaka on Wednesday.

The second edition of SIF aims to advance the implementation of NSIS in Bangladesh, CPD said in a press release.

Established in January 2024, this forum provides a collaborative platform to address pressing challenges and strategic priorities for social insurance in Bangladesh.

Key recommendations included transferring NSIS oversight from the Finance Department to the cabinet to streamline decision-making and considering excluding or redefining the roles of certain ministries to reduce redundancy within the Social Insurance Cluster.

CPD program partner Jebunnessa proposed creating a comprehensive management information system to consolidate data from various safety net programs and effectively support individuals below the poverty line.

The forum highlighted Bangladesh’s commitment to a life-cycle-based social security system that provides financial support for risks such as illness, disability, unemployment, old age and maternity.

He highlighted significant conceptual, legal and institutional challenges.

Despite progress, gaps in the definition of ‘social insurance’ remain across government bodies, impacting the coherence of implementation efforts, the CPD noted.

Moreover, the absence of specific legislation limits the full development of NSIS and prevents the establishment of a coherent system as in countries with well-developed social insurance frameworks.

According to the press release, legal provisions and a central body are required to move this forward.