Mandate
The Bangladesh Unnayan Gobeshona Protishthan
or The Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS)
is a multi-disciplinary organisation for policy-oriented research
on development issues (mainly in the context of Bangladesh).
BIDS serves as a conduit for dissemination of development
information through its library, publications, website and
seminar programmes. BIDS researchers also directly contribute
to formulation of development policies through participation
in government committees and task forces.
Goals and Objectives
The Objectives of BIDS are:
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to function as an agency for initiating
and conducting study, research and dissemination of knowledge
in the field of economic development, population studies
and human resources and other social sciences related
to planning for national development and social welfare;
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to collect information and generate
data, conduct investigations, undertake research projects
for purposes of planning and policy formulation;
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to conduct training courses in economics
and allied social sciences;
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to provide information and offer advice
on modern research techniques and methodology in economics,
demography and other social sciences;
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to conduct academic and policy research
in core development areas including development economics;
- to organize workshops, seminars, conferences
to disseminate research findings and share ideas.
History
The Institute started in Pakistan as the
Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) in June
1957. From the very beginning the PIDE was served by a distinguished
body of foreign scholars as well as a significant number of
Bengali scholars. It was able to attract a large number of
bright young economists and demographers who began their career
at the Institute, went abroad for training and made significant
contributions to research and policy advice on their return
home.
The Institute was officially moved to Dhaka
in January 1971. When Bangladesh emerged as a sovereign country
in December of the same year, the Institute was renamed the
Bangladesh Institute of Development Economics. A Parliamentary
Charter was awarded in 1974 and the Institute was renamed
once again as the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies
(BIDS) to reflect the multi-disciplinary focus of development
research. It was incorporated as an autonomous body, governed
by a high powered Board of Trustees under the Chairmanship
of the Minister of Planning. Since 1974, through a process
of national level institutional restructuring, two other establishments–the
Population Study Centre and the National Foundation for Research
on Human Resources Development–both of which had research
objectives similar to that of BIDS, were merged with the Institute
in 1982 and 1983, respectively.
During the Pakistan period, the PIDE’s
primary research focus was on industry and trade-related issues.
The PIDE pioneered studies on effective protection rates,
exchange rate policies, industrial investment, etc. Over time
with changing economic and social realities the focus changed
to issues relating to poverty, inequality, environment, agricultural
development, food security, water resources management, health,
education, gender and empowerment. In future, the most likely
areas to receive more attention include macroeconomic and
trade issues, energy and globalisation. Attempts are under
way to encourage young recruits to specialise in these areas
as well by arranging short-term training courses for mid-level
staff.
Initially, the Institute was funded by regular
government budgetary support. In 1983, the Government created
an endowment fund to ensure a source of recurring revenue
for running the Institute, thereby reducing its dependence
on regular state budgetary support, and enabling BIDS to enjoy
more functional autonomy. Some donor agencies and foundations provide external resources.
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