Unnayan Shamannay, a think tank, launched the study styled Open Budget Index 2006, conducted by M Abu Eusuf, an assistant professor of development studies at the Dhaka University, at a press conference at the non-governmental organisation's office in Dhaka on Thursday.

Dr Atiur Rahman, chairman of the Uunnayan Shamannay, addressed the conference.

The Open Budget Index (OBI), an initiative of the Washington-based International Budget Project (IBP), has been prepared by 59 civil society organisations in 59 countries. The index rates countries on a scale ranging from zero to cent per cent, which have variations in providing information on budget to their respective citizens.

The index focused on public access to 7 main budget documents that included pre-budget statement, executive's budget proposal, citizen's budget, in-year reports, mid-year review, year-end report and auditor's report. The IBP developed the OBI, a survey instrument with 177 questions to collect comparative information on public access to budget information and budgetary practices involving governments.

Bangladesh scored 40 per cent out of possible 100 per cent on the OBI 2006. France has obtained the first position, which scored 89 per cent marks.

The main findings from the study on Bangladesh say that the national budget proposals provide some information to the members of the public, scoring 56 per cent out of a possible 100 per cent of the information the citizens need. A comprehensive picture of the government's financial activities should also be presented to the citizens, the study said, suggesting that there is room for improvement.

Bangladesh provides partial information in its in-year reports, but it would greatly strengthen public accountability by publishing a comprehensive yearly review. This document should be made public with updates on what can be expected for the second half of the budget year. This has been promised by finance ministers, but never came into reality, it added.

The findings also said Bangladesh does not make its audit report public and provide any information on whether the audit report's recommendations are successfully implemented.

However, Bangladesh score on the Open Budget Index suggests that the public access to information has to be improved. The study also found that opportunities for citizen's participation could be increased, for example, the legislature does not hold public hearings on the budget in which they can participate.