The overall objective of the programme is institutional research co-operation on issues relevant to the poor in Bangladesh, support policy-relevant research and to build capacity that may contribute to improved governance and inclusive growth in Bangladesh.
Research focus is on inclusive growth and good governance. The areas to be covered:
This is a a three-year research and capacity building programme between the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), Bangladesh, and Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI), funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). CMI has more than 50 years’ experience in research, consultancy and capacity building in Bangladesh.
In addition to institutional co-operation, the key objective is to identify main obstacles and suggest remedies for problems of democratic institutionalisation and poverty reduction. The Programme will also contribute to capacity and knowledge building in both Bangladesh and Norway.
This new co-operation programme will enable CMI to strengthen its country-specific competence, but it will also make it possible for CMI to create and support a broader network of researchers and students working in and on Bangladesh. Dissemination and research communication are key components.
CPD and CMI will also collaborate with the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS).
Senior Researcher Arne Wiig is the contact person at CMI while Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem is the contact person at CPD.
The Parliament of Bangladesh. Challenges and Way Forward
Rounaq Jahan (CPD) (2012)
Dhaka: Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) (CPD-CMI Brief no. 1) 6 p.
Parliament of Bangladesh: Boycotts, business, and change for the better
Inge Amundsen (2012)
Bergen: Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI Brief vol. 11 no. 2) 4 p.
The Parliament of Bangladesh: Representation and Accountability
Rounaq Jahan and Inge Amundsen (2012)
Dhaka and Bergen: Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI) (CPD-CMI Working Paper series CPD-CMI WP 2012:2) 69 p.
Traditional market institutions and complex change: Exploring transition and change in the Bangladesh rice market
K A S Murshid (2011)
Dhaka: Centre for Policy Dialogue and Chr. Michelsen Institute (CPD‐CMI Working Paper 1) 22 p.
Does democracy reduce corruption?
Ivar Kolstad, Arne Wiig (2011)
Bergen: Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI Working Paper WP 2011:4) 29 p.
Micro, small and medium enterprises in Bangladesh: Are they scaling up?
Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem (2011)
NEWAGE 12 October 2011
Fattige trenger kreditt
Arne Wiig (2010)
Dagens Næringsliv 20 Desember
Entrepreneurship Development in Bangladesh: The Role of Human Capital
Arne Wiig, Ivar Kolstad, Khondaker Golam Moazzem (2012)
Presented at: Bangladesh conference: New Context and New Challenges
Does democracy reduce corruption?
Ivar Kolstad and Arne Wiig (2012)
Presented at: Bangladesh conference: New Context and New Challenges, CMI, 19 April 2012
Does democracy reduce corruption?
Ivar Kolstad and Arne Wiig (2012)
Quality of Government Institute, Gothenburg University 10 April 2012
Does democracy reduce corruption
Ivar Kolstad,Arne Wiig (2011)
Presented at: Centre for Policy Dialogue, 15 October 2011
Democracy and corruption
Ivar Kolstad and Arne Wiig (2011)
CPD CMI cooperation programme annual meeting, Centre for Policy Dialogue, Dhaka 03.04.2011
Democracy and corruption
Start: Jun. 2011 (Initiation)
The Parliament of Bangladesh: Representation and Accountability
Start: Sep. 2010 (Current)
Keywords: Parliament, legislature, politics, good governance
Geography: Bangladesh
The Political Parties in Bangladesh: Clientelism and Democratisation
Start: Sep. 2010 (Current)
Keywords: Political parties, good governance, politics, clientelism, political finance
Geography: Bangladesh
Agricultural Trade with India: Implications for Food Security and Poverty in Bangladesh.
Start: Jun. 2010 (Current)
Keywords: Agricultural trade, Bangladesh, India
Geography: Bangladesh, India
Private sector development: The role of education and business training
Start: Jun. 2010 (Initiation)
Keywords: Human capital, Poverty, Entrepreneurship
Geography: Bangladesh
Bangladesh: Capacity building and sustainability
Start: Jun. 2010 (Initiation)
Bangladesh: Programme monitoring and coordination
Start: Jan. 2010 (Initiation)
Wiig, Arne
Senior Researcher, Coordinator: Poverty Dynamics
Economist whose professional profile and research interests include foreign direct investments and international trade, microcredit, poverty and corporate social responsibility.
Kolstad, Ivar
Research Director, Coordinator: Natural Resources
Economist whose current research focuses on poverty dynamics, natural resources and development, and corporate social responsibility.
Amundsen, Inge
Senior Researcher
Political scientist focusing on democratisation, parliaments, political parties, corruption, resource and oil revenue management, and aid.
Moazzem, Khondaker Golam
Senior economist
Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem is a senior economist at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and the coordinator of the CMI/CPD programme.
Rahman, Mustafizur
Executive Director
Dr Mustafizur Rahman is an economist. He is currently the Executive Director at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD)
Jahan, Rounaq
Distinguished Fellow
Distinguished Fellow, Centre for Policy Dialogue, Dhaka, Bangladesh and Adjunct Professor, International Affairs at the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University, New York, USA.
Khatun, Fahmida
Additional Director, Research
Dr Fahmida Khatun is additional director of research at CPD.
Deb, Uttam Kumar
Additional Director, Research
Dr Uttam Kumar Deb is a senior agricultural economist at CPD
Bhattacharya, Debapriya
Distinguished Fellow
Dr. Debapriya Bhattacharya, a macro-economist and public policy analyst, currently is a Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).
Nazrul Islam, A.K.M.
Research fellow
Dr A.K.M. Nazrul Islam is a research fellow at CPD.
Recent articles on governance and poverty in Bangladesh (updated Feb 2012):
Understanding the context of institutions and policy processes for selected anti-poverty interventions in Bangladesh
Ahmed, A. U., M. Khondkar, et al. (2011), Journal of Development Effectiveness 3(2): 175-192.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19439342.2011.570448
This paper reviews the background and history of agricultural technology interventions and the policy processes underlying food-based and cash-based education incentive programmes in Bangladesh, their targeting mechanisms and performance, and their evolution over time. The study reviews similarities and differences among these anti-poverty interventions according to their pro-poor orientation, attention to gender issues, extent of involvement of other partners, attention to sustainability, and the use of research and evaluation to inform organisational change.
Impact of microcredit on poverty alleviation among rural women: A case study of Panchagarh District in Bangladesh
Ahmed, F., C. Siwar, et al. (2011), African Journal of Business Management 5(16): 7111-7119.
Although women constitute almost half of the total population of Bangladesh, they experience adverse situations in terms of socio-economic inequality and gender disparity. Especially, rural women are the most deprived section of the society and a majority of them are extremely poor. They have very limited access to economic and income generating activities outside their home and consequently, the less opportunity to contribute to their families and get out of poverty. MFIs are contributing significantly to poverty reduction in Bangladesh by creating income generation and self-employment opportunities for the poor people by providing microcredit. This study attempts to assess the role of microcredit programme in reducing poverty of rural women. The study is based on empirical data collected through interview from the two groups of rural women e. g. 'with credit' and 'without credit' rural women. The 'with credit' respondents are the members of microcredit programme of Grammeen Bank, one of the largest MFIs in Bangladesh. The findings demonstrate that, the 'with credit' women have a much lower percentage of poverty in terms of its incidence (80%), intensity (28%) and severity (12%) compared to the 'without credit' respondents (99, 59 and 37% respectively). It was also found that educational attainment of the respondents and income earners in the family contribute positively to reduce poverty situation among the 'with credit' households more, as compared to 'without credit' households. Therefore, it can be concluded that microcredit programme helps the rural women to reduce their poverty more effectively.
Neglecting the urban poor in Bangladesh: research, policy and action in the context of climate change
Banks, N., M. Roy, et al. (2011), Environment and Urbanization 23(2): 487-502.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956247811417794
In Bangladesh, urban poverty is neglected in research, policy and action on poverty reduction. This paper explores the underlying reasons for this relative neglect, which include national identity and image, the political economy of urban poverty and the structuring of knowledge creation. It argues for more comprehensive policy and programmes for the urban poor given Bangladesh's increasingly urban future and the growing magnitude of urban poverty. The impact of climate change will accelerate Bangladesh's ongoing urbanization as well as deepen the scale and severity of urban poverty. The fact that reducing urban poverty will be increasingly important in meeting national goals for poverty reduction means that policy and action must pay more attention to the urban poor. This is contingent upon two factors: first, a better understanding of the scale and nature of urban poverty and vulnerability; and second, the confrontation of powerful interests necessary to secure a national commitment to urban poverty reduction.
Modernizing Bangladesh public administration through e-governance: Benefits and challenges
Bhuiyan, S. H. (2011), Government Information Quarterly 28(1): 54-65.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2010.04.006
More and more public administration emphasizes how Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can be used to support transformational change in governmental functions globally to achieve efficiency and cost-effective service delivery to citizens. Bangladesh public administration employs energies to achieve this goal. Experience in some developing countries has shown that e-governance can improve transparency which leads to, among other things, corruption control and poverty reduction. This article examines the role that e-governance can play in the modernization of public administration for efficient and effective service delivery to the citizens of Bangladesh, as well as its potential to control corruption and reduce poverty. Based on the lessons learned from successful practices in developing countries and literature review, it suggests that e-governance can play a significant role for corruption control and poverty reduction, and thus offers opportunities to cost-effective service delivery to the citizens in Bangladesh. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Labour Market Outcomes in Bangladesh: The Role of Poverty and Gender Norms
Bridges, S., D. Lawson, et al. (2011), European Journal of Development Research 23(3): 459-487.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/ejdr.2011.14
It is frequently argued that female participation in the labour market is important for economic growth and poverty reduction. Despite this, the role that extreme poverty and gender norms play in influencing such participation is far from fully understood. This article uses nationally representative household data to address this issue using data for Bangladesh. In line with prior largely qualitative - work, we find that extreme poverty is indeed important in explaining some of the growth in female employment in Bangladesh; we find evidence of a positive relationship between extreme poverty and participation, especially for women. In addition, we find that among young single women there appears to be a growing acceptance of their employment in the labour market. Despite this, rigid social and cultural norms are still apparent among other groups of women, especially in the rural areas.
Exploring the long-term impact of development interventions within life-history narratives in rural Bangladesh
Davis, P. (2011), Journal of Development Effectiveness 3(2): 263-280.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19439342.2011.569738
This paper explores long-term effects of microfinance, educational transfers and agricultural interventions within life-trajectories in rural Bangladesh. More than one-half of respondents had used microfinance for some kind of income-generating activity in their lives. For 18 per cent it was an important cause of well-being improvement, but about one-third had used microcredit to cope in crises. Educational transfers contributed positively for 29 per cent of participants, but its impact was limited by low monetary value of benefits. The life-histories showed little long-term benefit from the agricultural technology programmes, and a number of possible reasons are discussed in the paper.
Parallel Realities: Exploring Poverty Dynamics Using Mixed Methods in Rural Bangladesh
Davis, P. and B. Baulch (2011), Journal of Development Studies 47(1): 118-142.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00220388.2010.492860
This paper explores the implications of using two methodological approaches to study poverty dynamics in rural Bangladesh. Using data from a unique longitudinal study, we show how different methods lead to very different assessments of socio-economic mobility. We suggest five ways of reconciling these differences: considering assets in addition to expenditures, proximity to the poverty line, other aspects of well-being, household division, and qualitative recall errors. Considering assets and proximity to the poverty line along with expenditures resolves three-fifths of the qualitative and quantitative differences. Use of such integrated mixed-methods can therefore improve the reliability of poverty dynamics research.
The political economy of corporate governance in developing economies: The case of Bangladesh
Haque, F., T. Arun, et al. (2011), Research in International Business and Finance 25(2): 169-182.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ribaf.2011.01.001
The paper investigates the influence of concentrated shareholding, boardroom politics and interest group politics in the quality of corporate governance in listed firms. It finds that the controlling shareholders exert influence in boardroom politics through family-aligned board and executive management. The evidence shows that concentrated ownership, family-aligned board and management, and political connection(s) of the controlling shareholder(s) tend to be inversely associated with the quality of corporate governance in a firm. The findings of the study suggest that the broad-based interest group politics which influence both political preference and corporate control politics contribute significantly to the current state of corporate governance in developing economies.
Citizenship narratives in the face of bad governance: the voices of the working poor in Bangladesh
Kabeer, N. (2011), Journal of Peasant Studies 38(2): 325-353.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03066150.2011.559011
The complex nature of the challenge posed by state-society relations to the realization of citizenship rights in poorer countries reflects the unwillingness as well as incapacity on the part of the state to guarantee basic security of life and livelihoods to its citizens, and its proneness to capture by powerful elites. Identity, affiliations, and access to resources continue to be defined by one's place within a social order that is largely constituted by the ascribed relationships of family, kinship, and community. These 'given' relationships pervade all spheres of society and render irrelevant the idea of an impersonal public sphere that individuals enter as bearers of rights, equal in the eyes of the law. This paper explores the proposition that the possibility of belonging to alternative associations whose membership is chosen rather than ascribed by social position offers pathways to a more democratic social order. Bangladesh offers an interesting context to explore this proposition both because it embodies many of the problems of bad governance outlined above and because it contains a large number of civil society associations, many of which work primarily with the poor. The paper is based on interviews with members of some of these organizations in rural and urban areas of the country.
Seasonality of income and poverty in Bangladesh
Khandker, S. R. (2012), Journal of Development Economics 97(2): 244-256.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jdeveco.2011.05.001
Seasonal food deprivation in Bangladesh, locally known as Monga, sometimes rises to the level of famine during the pre-harvest period of aman rice. An analysis of household income and expenditure survey data shows that income and consumption are lower during Monga than in other seasons, and that seasonal income greatly influences seasonal consumption. Econometric estimates reject the hypothesis of perfect consumption smoothing. In the northwestern region of greater Rangpur, rural households suffer disproportionately from Monga. Seasonal differences in poverty across regions are due mainly to differences in household-specific seasonality of income and consumption. Income diversification explains the lower incidence of income seasonality observed in non-Rangpur regions. To contain seasonal hunger in greater Rangpur, public policies should promote rural income diversification together with seasonal migration. A flexible microfinance scheme that provides both production and consumption loans on flexible repayment terms could help diversify income and reduce seasonality of income and poverty. (C) 2011 Elsevier By. All rights reserved.
The Welfare Impacts of Rural Electrification in Bangladesh
Khandker, S. R., D. F. Barnes, et al. (2012), Energy Journal 33(1): 187-206.
http://dx.doi.org/10.5547/ISSN0195-6574-EJ-Vol33-No1-7
Lack of access to electricity has been considered a major impediment to the growth and development of rural economies. Thus, the provision of electricity and other forms of modern energy has been a priority for many development organizations, including the World Bank. However few impact studies of electrification have taken the endogeneity of the grid connection into account. Using a cross-sectional survey conducted in 2005 of 20,900 rural households in Bangladesh, this paper examines the welfare impacts of household access to grid electricity after controlling for endogeneity bias. The econometric analysis shows that grid electrification has significant positive impacts on household income, expenditure, and education. The household gain in total income due to electrification is as high as 21 percent, with a 1.5 percentage point reduction in poverty per year The results also suggest that the income and expenditure effects of electricity connection are higher for better-off households.
Effect of microcredit program on rural poverty alleviation: An empirical study of four major microcredit organizations at Monirampur Upazila in Bangladesh
Lu, W. C. and M. A. Hasan (2011), African Journal of Agricultural Research 6(26): 5742-5746.
http://dx.doi.org/10.5897/ajar11.445
Numerous microcredit organizations conduct microcredit programs in Bangladesh and provide small loans to rural poor people with the purpose of eradicating poverty. This study attempts to elucidate the extent to which these microcredit programs are effective in reducing poverty and to examine the impact of microcredit in income generation and upliftment of borrowers' living standard. All the respondents of Monirampur Upazila in Jessore district were the population of the study. The estimated results show that borrowers of microcredit programs are better off in terms of food consumption and household income generation. It is recommended that the NGO should consider some important points such as a repayment system, interest rate and proper training program to generate borrowers' household income.
Governance Reforms and Anti-Corruption Commission in Bangladesh
Parnini, S. N. (2011), Romanian Journal of Political Science 11(1): 50-70.
In the last few years, international anti-corruption activities and campaigns have become increasingly prominent in Western efforts to promote political reform and 'good governance'. Since 1990s, proponents of governance reforms i.e. the donors linked political corruption to the explanation of developmental failure, thereby identifying the arguments for democratization and 'good governance' with those for liberalization. Governance reform has been a recent trend for Bangladeshi Government to take anti-corruption measures and to operate Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), which has been considered as a distinct national agency charged with combating corruption. The donors have all promoted the establishment of such ACC in Bangladesh, claiming that it can form an integral part of a country's "national integrity system." However, the experiences of Bangladeshi anti-corruption measures and the role of ACC are mixed. The question remains whether the anti-corruption commission represents a genuine commitment on the part of Bangladeshi government in its anti-corruption strategy, or whether it is merely a facade, established to simply placate the international donors. This paper explores the way in which corruption has been understood in the 'governance' agenda and the efforts that have been made to control it by improving institutional performance and policing for greater transparency and accountability particularly through ACC in Bangladesh.
Evaluating the long-term impact of anti-poverty interventions in Bangladesh: an overview
Quisumbing, A. R., B. Baulch, et al. (2011), Journal of Development Effectiveness 3(2): 153-174.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19439342.2011.570447
This paper provides an overview of a research project that assessed the long-term impact of three antipoverty interventions in Bangladesh - the introduction of new agricultural technologies, educational transfers, and microfinance - on monetary and non-monetary measures of well-being. It begins by setting out the conceptual framework, methodology, and empirical methods used for the evaluation of long-term impacts. It discusses the context of the evaluations and the longitudinal data used. Key findings from the papers are then presented, followed by an indicative analysis of the cost-effectiveness of these interventions. The overview concludes with implications for programmes and policy.
Determinants of the long-run growth rate of Bangladesh
Rao, B. B. and G. Hassan (2011), Applied Economics Letters 18(7): 655-658.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13504851003800760
This article estimates Total Factor Productivity (TFP) for Bangladesh and analyses its key determinants. According to the Solow (1956) growth model, long-run growth rate equals TFP. Estimated -coefficients show that trade openness, foreign direct investment and development of financial sector increase TFP.
Confronting poverty and educational inequalities: Madrasas as a strategy for contesting dominant literacy in rural Bangladesh
Rao, N. and M. I. Hossain (2011), International Journal of Educational Development 31(6): 623-633.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2011.01.012
In a context of globalisation and the rapid expansion of low-paid 'global' jobs, formal schooling is no longer perceived as contributing to the acquisition of skills that are appropriate or even relevant to active engagement with the new opportunities. Based on empirical material from a village in Bangladesh, this paper explores the role of madrasa education in challenging the dominant paradigm of learning embedded in formal secular schooling. Despite charges of low quality and traditionalism, local narratives reveal how madrasa learning is used to negotiate and transform inequalities, both in material and social terms. Madrasa education is cheaper, and addresses issues of poverty, but the narratives also emphasise learning the Arabic language, seen to facilitate male overseas migration to the Gulf countries, a channel for upward social and economic mobility. In a context of global competition that supports individualism, a focus on character and morality as represented through an Islamic identity, alongside communitarian values, is seen as important for maintaining a degree of social cohesion and is hence socially valued. Reading and reciting the Quran are also viewed as essential traits for a woman, enabling her to appropriately socialise her children in the absence of her migrant husband. One finds here a simultaneous process of contestation and resistance, seeking successful occupational trajectories and social recognition for men, while at the same time contributing to the reproduction of gendered inequalities. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Political Culture, Political Parties and the Democratic Transition in Bangladesh
Rashiduzzaman, M. (2011), Asian Journal of Social Science 39(3): 397-399.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156853111x577668
Economic Inequality and Child Stunting in Bangladesh and Kenya: An Investigation of Six Hypotheses
Reinbold, G. W. (2011), Population and Development Review 37(4): 691-+.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1728-4457.2011.00453.x
Consistent with the increasing focus on issues of equity in developing countries, I extend the literature analyzing the relationship between economic inequality and individual health to the developing world. Using survey data from Bangladesh and Kenya with economic status measured by a wealth index and with three different geographic definitions of community, I analyze six competing hypotheses for how economic inequality may be related to stunting among children younger than 5 years old. I find little support for the predominant hypothesis that economic inequality as measured by a Gini index is an important predictor of individual health. Instead, I find that the difference between a household's wealth and the mean household wealth in the community is the measure of economic inequality that is most closely related to stunting in these countries. In particular, a 1 standard deviation increase in household wealth relative to the community mean is associated with a 3032 percent decrease in the odds of stunting in Bangladesh and a 1621 percent decrease in the odds of stunting in Kenya.
Corporate characteristics, governance attributes and the extent of voluntary disclosure in Bangladesh
Rouf, A. (2011), African Journal of Business Management 5(19): 7836-7845.
The aim of this paper is to examine the linkages "corporate characteristics", "governance attributes" and the "extent of voluntary disclosure" in Bangladesh. The paper is based on a sample of 120 listed non-financial companies in Dhaka Stock Exchanges (DSE) in 2007. The study used ordinary least squares regression model to examine the relationship between explanatory variables and voluntary disclosure. Using an unweighted relative disclosure index for measuring voluntary disclosure, the empirical results indicate that a positive association between board size and voluntary disclosure, board leadership structure and voluntary disclosure and between board audit committee and voluntary disclosure. In contrast, the extent of voluntary disclosure is negatively related to proportion of INDs, ownership structure and net profitability.
Modeling and forecasting natural gas demand in Bangladesh
Wadud, Z., H. S. Dey, et al. (2011), Energy Policy 39(11): 7372-7380.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2011.08.066
Natural gas is the major indigenous source of energy in Bangladesh and accounts for almost one-half of all primary energy used in the country. Per capita and total energy use in Bangladesh is still very small, and it is important to understand how energy, and natural gas demand will evolve in the future. We develop a dynamic econometric model to understand the natural gas demand in Bangladesh, both in the national level, and also for a few sub-sectors. Our demand model shows large long run income elasticity - around 1.5 - for aggregate demand for natural gas. Forecasts into the future also show a larger demand in the future than predicted by various national and multilateral organizations. Even then, it is possible that our forecasts could still be at the lower end of the future energy demand. Price response was statistically not different from zero, indicating that prices are possibly too low and that there is a large suppressed demand for natural gas in the country. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
General resources on Bangladesh
Research Institutions
Other institutions:
Data
News
Government
Bangladesh conference: New Context and New Challenges
Reducing poverty and improving governance require evidence-based approaches that also pay attention to the political scope for reform.
Diagnosing a weak parliament
A number of measures can strengthen the Parliament of Bangladesh. CMI and the Bangladeshi think-tank CPD has published a report on the struggling democracy.
Does democracy reduce corruption?
Ivar Kolstad, Arne Wiig (2011)
