• IPF | Institute of Public Finance Bangladesh
  • Centre of Excellence for PFM Training, Research and Capacity Building

Budget Management Specialist (BMS)

Overview:

The Budget Management Specialist Course is one of the flagship courses offered by the IPF. The basic objective of BMS course is to enhance the skills and knowledge of officers within the Finance Division as well as line ministries, divisions, subordinate directorates, and departments involved in public financial management. The course is specifically designed for mid and junior-level officers, such as Deputy Secretaries, Senior Assistant Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries, or officers holding equivalent ranks across various cadres and defense services. Accordingly, its aim is to equip these participants with the necessary expertise in budget management.

The training course is much practical, complemented by a solid theoretical foundation. Its primary aim is to equip participants with the essential skills and knowledge required for strategic planning, preparation, execution, and monitoring of budgets within the framework of the Medium-Term Budget Framework. The course follows the standard Public Financial Management (PFM) cycle in delivering modules and their contents, providing a comprehensive understanding of budget management processes. The BMS training program initially began in the fiscal year 2013-14 and continues till present with conducting four batches per year. Each BMS training course typically accommodates 25-30 participants.


Objectives

Since the key aim is to develop a common understanding of key macro-fiscal, budget management, and public financial management principles in a critical mass of government officials, as discussed in the beginning, the specific objectives are:


  • To explain fiscal discipline, allocative efficiency and operational efficiency of budgeting;
  • To understand Strategic Planning and Budget Preparation process, Budget Implementation and Monitoring,
  • To orient the participants with overall developmental issues both national and global.
  • To discover the insights of IFMIS (Integrated Financial Management Information System), i.e. BACS and iBAS++ with practical activities, and
  • To explore methods of enhancing the effectiveness of Government Policy decisions through Financial Reporting of Budget and Accountability Framework.

Resource Pool

The pool of instructors consists of a cohort of Finance Division officials and national think tanks who not only possess practical experience in the related field but also have academic excellence from world-reputed universities. They frequently deliver a synthesis of academic expertise and practical experience.


BMS Course Modules

The BMS (Budget Management Specialist) course is a comprehensive, full-time, non-residential training programme delivered by the Institute of Public Finance Bangladesh (IPF). In fact, the BMS course offers a comprehensive curriculum that encompasses the entire spectrum of budget management. The course spans duration of 20 working days and is structured into five modules, each addressing crucial aspects of budget management. These modules are as follows:

  • (i) Budget Management in Bangladesh: Legal Framework and Institutional Arrangements,
  • (ii) Strategic Planning and Budget Preparation,
  • (iii) Budget Implementation and Monitoring,
  • (iv) BACS and iBAS++, and
  • (v) Financial Reporting and Accountability Framework.