Asad Islam

The Family Card initiative presents an opportunity to reform Bangladesh’s social protection architecture—but only if it is designed as a system, not merely another scheme.

Bangladesh’s social protection landscape has evolved over decades through a collection of targeted programmes, allowances, and safety net initiatives. While these interventions have supported millions, they often operate in silos — with fragmented databases, overlapping beneficiary lists, varied eligibility criteria, and parallel administrative structures. The result is a complex, costly, and sometimes inefficient delivery framework.

Introducing a Family Card cannot simply mean adding another layer to this already crowded structure. If treated as just another beneficiary list or subsidy channel, its impact will remain limited. Instead, the Family Card should serve as the foundation for an integrated and unified social protection system — one that consolidates data, streamlines delivery, and enhances transparency and accountability.

A meaningful reform would require three foundational pillars:

1. Integrated Social Registry
All existing and future social protection programmes should be anchored in a unified digital registry. This would reduce duplication, improve targeting accuracy, and ensure that benefits reach intended households efficiently.

2. Reliable and Scalable Payment Infrastructure
Direct benefit transfers through secure banking or mobile financial services must be strengthened. A robust payment ecosystem minimizes leakages, reduces administrative burdens, and enhances beneficiary confidence.

3. Gradual Programme Harmonisation
Rather than abruptly discontinuing existing schemes, the transition should be phased. Legacy programmes can be progressively aligned under the Family Card framework, ensuring policy stability and institutional continuity.

However, reform must also be fiscally responsible. Expanding coverage without a sustainable financing strategy risks undermining both macroeconomic stability and public trust. Any structural transformation should therefore be aligned with realistic revenue capacity, demographic data, and long-term policy objectives.

The true promise of the Family Card lies not in short-term political visibility, but in long-term institutional strength. If implemented thoughtfully, it can move Bangladesh from a fragmented safety-net model toward a coherent, inclusive, and modern social protection system.

This piece brings together insights from more than 15 years of research on education, early learning, and human capital in Bangladesh. It argues that while access to schooling has expanded, the next phase of reform must focus squarely on learning quality, early childhood development, and system effectiveness.

At a time when election debates and manifestos remain heavy on slogans but light on substance, the article highlights critical gaps in current policy discussions and makes the case for a more evidence-based education agenda for the next government.

Originally published in The Daily Star, Big Picture section.

I co-authored an article with my student Fariha Kabir titled “Women Get to Work in Bangladesh,” published by East Asia Forum on October 08, 2024.

The piece discusses how recent protests in Bangladesh, driven by frustration over limited job opportunities and social inequalities, have underscored the increasing visibility and influence of women—particularly female students—in political and social movements. Their leadership and participation marked a historic shift in the country’s gender dynamics.

The article highlights how expanding female access to education and employment, along with microcredit initiatives and progressive policy reforms, has empowered Bangladeshi women both economically and politically. The job quota reform movement serves as a vivid example of how women are shaping Bangladesh’s future and challenging traditional gender norms.

I was featured in the documentary “The Poverty Puzzle – A Different Lens,” which explores the complex and evolving dimensions of global poverty and inequality. The film examines how systemic forces—such as climate change, technological disruption, and the long-term effects of COVID-19—continue to shape and often exacerbate disparities in wealth and opportunity.

In this episode, I discuss insights from my research on poverty in Bangladesh, focusing on the importance of context-sensitive policies, social inclusion, and evidence-based interventions. The documentary highlights the need for empathy, robust social protection systems, and education opportunities to break the cycle of disadvantage and promote equitable development.

The film underscores that ending poverty requires collective action, data-driven policymaking, and a sustained commitment to equality and human dignity.

Our paper “Experimental Evidence on Adoption and Impact of the System of Rice Intensification” — co-authored with Chris Barrett (Cornell University), Abdul Mohammad Malek (University of Tsukuba), Debayan Pakrashi (IIT Kanpur), and Ummul Ruthbah (Monash University) — received the Outstanding AJAE Article Award from the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA).

This recognition celebrates research that makes an exceptional contribution to the field of agricultural and applied economics.

I contributed an article to the 29th Anniversary Special Issue of the Financial Express (Bangladesh) titled “COVID-Induced School Closures: Combating Learning Loss.”

The article examines the global educational crisis caused by COVID-19, focusing on Bangladesh, where schools were closed for over 18 months—disrupting the education of nearly 37 million children. It highlights the deep learning setbacks experienced by students, especially in rural and low-income areas where remote learning failed to reach the most marginalized.

The piece calls for targeted and inclusive policy action to address the learning gap through remedial education, improved teacher support, and equitable access to digital and community-based learning resources. It emphasizes that closing these gaps is essential for Bangladesh’s long-term human capital development and socioeconomic recovery.

Our research on remote learning during COVID-19 was featured by King’s College London (KCL) in the article “Remote Tuition Can Be Transformative for Vulnerable Children: Evidence from Bangladesh”.

The collaborative study evaluated the impact of low-cost, phone-based tutoring for primary school children in rural Bangladesh during pandemic-related school closures. University student volunteers provided weekly lessons in English and mathematics, while mothers received structured home-schooling guidance through calls and text messages.

The findings highlight the transformative potential of remote tutoring in crisis settings and the importance of engaging families to sustain children’s learning and well-being.

Our research on play-based interventions for Rohingya refugee children was featured by Monash University in the article “The Power of Play: Healing Rohingya Refugees”.

The study, conducted in partnership with local BIGD and BRAC in Bangladesh, explores how structured play and early psychosocial interventions can help refugee children recover from trauma and develop critical cognitive and emotional skills. Through collaborative fieldwork in the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh, we designed and implemented play-based programs that promote psychological well-being, resilience, and social connection among children and their caregivers.

Findings show that integrating play and psychoeducation into humanitarian responses enables children to process distressing experiences, improve communication and problem-solving abilities, and strengthen motor skills. The intervention also reduced symptoms of trauma and depression among both children and mothers, while increasing happiness, social belonging, and nutritional well-being.

The research demonstrates that community-led, play-based programming offers a scalable and cost-effective approach for supporting vulnerable populations in crisis settings—empowering caregivers, fostering resilience, and promoting hope for the future.

Our collaborative research with BIGD and BRAC demonstrates how play-based interventions can significantly improve the mental health and early development of Rohingya refugee mothers and their children living in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. The initiative, part of the Humanitarian Play Lab program, engages mothers and young children in structured, culturally grounded activities—both home-based and center-based—that foster learning, preserve Rohingya language and culture, and support emotional recovery from trauma.

Findings reveal substantial improvements in children’s language, motor, and social skills, accompanied by reductions in trauma and depression among both mothers and children. Mothers with prior traumatic experiences experienced the greatest benefits, reporting higher levels of happiness, confidence, and social belonging. The research also documented declines in stunting and underweight prevalence, reflecting gains in physical health.

Delivered entirely by trained community volunteers, the program is affordable, scalable, and sustainable—already reaching more than 13,000 mother–child pairs. The results highlight how psychosocial support and culturally relevant play can build resilience, promote well-being, and restore hope among refugees facing prolonged adversity.

In this interview with Faculti, I discussed the practical realities of implementing Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) in developing country contexts. The conversation focused on the challenges of limited resources, complex program design, and logistical or political constraints that researchers often face when conducting field experiments.

I shared key lessons and best practices for designing and executing effective RCTs—emphasizing the importance of rigorous planning, ethical engagement, and transparent communication with stakeholders. The discussion also reflected on how context sensitivity and collaboration can enhance both research integrity and policy relevance in complex development environments.

I co-authored an article with my PhD student Hasibul Hasan titled “‘Low-Tech Solutions’ to Address Learning Loss,” published in The Daily Sun on November 27, 2021.

The piece explores how low-tech interventions, such as delivering audio lessons via basic mobile phones, can help mitigate learning losses among primary school students in Bangladesh during prolonged school closures. Drawing on evidence from field research, the study found that Interactive Voice Response (IVR) programs significantly improved children’s literacy and numeracy outcomes, especially for those in disadvantaged communities without reliable internet access.

The article highlights how scalable, affordable, and inclusive technologies can sustain educational progress and promote resilience during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.

I co-authored an article with my student Tarannum Baigh titled “Is Bangladesh Suffering the Titanic’s Fate?” published in The Financial Express (Bangladesh) on November 24, 2021.

The piece draws a parallel between Bangladesh’s current economic challenges and the sinking of the Titanic, cautioning that complacency and inaction in the face of warning signs could have grave consequences. It examines vulnerabilities such as low public health spending, financial sector weaknesses, and macroeconomic instability, urging decisive policy reforms to strengthen economic resilience.

The article argues that Bangladesh must address these structural issues and adopt evidence-based, forward-looking policies to secure sustainable growth and avoid a fate akin to the Titanic’s.

Our research on the impact of chess education was featured by ChessBase in the article “Chess Education in Children Reduces Their Risk Aversion”.

In 2021, my co-authors Wang-Sheng Lee, Aaron Nicholas, and I published a study in the Journal of Development Economics that examined how chess instruction influences children’s decision-making and behavioral development in a developing country context.

While most studies focus on academic outcomes, our research explored broader traits such as risk preferences, patience, time management, and creativity. Results from our large-scale field experiment showed that chess training significantly reduced children’s risk aversion, enabling them to make more confident and reasoned decisions.

This work reflects my continuing interest in how targeted, skill-based interventions can foster critical thinking, resilience, and long-term success among young learners.

Our research on the mental health of rural women during the COVID-19 pandemic was featured in an article titled “How Is the Pandemic Affecting Mental Health in Developing Countries?” published by the Economics Observatory on August 26, 2021.

The article discusses how the pandemic has intensified mental health challenges in developing countries, where limited resources and fragile health systems leave many without access to care. With less than 0.5% of health budgets typically allocated to mental health, the crisis has led to rising rates of anxiety, depression, and psychological distress—especially among women facing economic hardship and increased domestic burdens.

Our research highlights the promise of low-cost, scalable interventions, including tele-counselling, mobile phone outreach, and community-based programs delivered by trained non-specialist counsellors. These approaches have been shown to reduce stress, improve wellbeing, and empower women in rural areas. The findings emphasize the need for inclusive mental health policies that prioritize vulnerable populations and integrate mental health support into broader development strategies.

I co-authored an article with Atinya Rahman titled “Microenterprises Are Struggling and in Need of Support,” published by the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD) on June 27, 2021, and featured in The Business Standard.

The piece discusses how microenterprises in Bangladesh, a crucial pillar of the economy, have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, struggling to recover operations and retain workers amid falling revenues, depleted savings, and limited access to finance. Despite government stimulus packages, many of these enterprises remain excluded from formal credit systems due to a lack of collateral and financial records.

We argue that targeted and concessional financing, along with digital credit innovations, inclusive lending models, and better market linkages, is essential to help these small businesses rebuild. Without such measures, the survival and growth of microenterprises—and the broader employment and economic resilience they support—remain at risk.

I co-authored an article with Hasibul Hasan titled “Social Protection in the Time of COVID-19: Is Bangladesh Doing Enough?” published in the 27th Anniversary Issue of The Financial Express (Bangladesh) on December 6, 2020.

The article examines how the COVID-19 crisis exposed major weaknesses in Bangladesh’s social protection system, leaving millions of poor and newly vulnerable households without adequate support. Despite strong economic growth in recent years, government spending on social protection—around 0.7% of GDP—remains among the lowest in South Asia.

Our analysis highlights that nearly half of those living below the extreme poverty line were excluded from formal assistance during the pandemic. The lack of a comprehensive social registry continues to hinder effective targeting and delivery of benefits. We argue that Bangladesh must invest in stronger, more inclusive social protection programs, extending coverage, improving coordination, and ensuring readiness for future crises.

My article titled “How Vulnerable Are the Small Businesses?” was published in The Daily Star on November 17, 2020.

The piece examines how small businesses in Bangladesh, long regarded as the backbone of the national economy, were severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Enterprises—particularly in the light engineering and service sectors—faced steep declines in sales, shortages of raw materials, and mounting fixed costs during prolonged lockdowns.

Despite government stimulus programs, access to financial support has remained limited, especially for poorer and more informal enterprises. The article highlights the urgent need for inclusive recovery policies, targeted training, and capacity-building measures to help small businesses adapt, rebuild, and contribute to Bangladesh’s post-pandemic recovery.

Our research was featured in BBC StoryWorks’ “Masters of Change” series, which showcases transformative innovations addressing global challenges. The feature highlighted our large-scale randomized controlled trial in Bangladesh on the System of Rice Intensification (SRI)—a collaborative project between Monash Business School, BRAC, Cornell University, and IIT Kanpur.

The study demonstrated that the SRI method led to over a 50% increase in rice yields without additional input costs, achieved through modest adjustments to irrigation, planting density, and organic fertilizer use. These findings underscore how evidence-based agricultural innovations can improve productivity, enhance food security, and promote sustainable farming practices.

The BBC feature recognized this work as a prime example of how rigorous field experimentation and cross-institutional collaboration can drive scalable, real-world impact in developing countries.

This project, featured by B-Hub, focused on improving public health communication in rural Bangladesh and India, where internet access is limited but mobile phone ownership is widespread.

The study evaluated different approaches to delivering COVID-19 information and found that personalized phone calls—either alone or combined with text messages—significantly increased compliance with public health guidelines compared to text messages alone. The intervention was particularly effective among women, who demonstrated higher adherence to safety measures, likely driven by their role in family health and caregiving.

The findings highlight that low-cost, phone-based communication strategies can play a crucial role in bridging the digital divide, enhancing awareness, and promoting safer health behaviors in communities with limited online access.

My article titled “Food Insecurity During COVID-19” was published by GlobalDev on August 9, 2020.

The piece explores how the COVID-19 pandemic has sharply intensified global food insecurity, particularly in developing countries, where supply chain disruptions, job losses, and income shocks have limited access to affordable and nutritious food. The crisis has pushed millions into poverty, with the poor, women, and children among the most affected as food prices rose and existing safety nets failed to reach many households.

The article underscores the urgent need to build resilient food systems, strengthen targeted social protection measures, and improve the delivery of safety nets to safeguard vulnerable populations during periods of crisis. It calls for coordinated, evidence-based policy responses to prevent temporary shocks from causing long-term harm to livelihoods and human capital.

I co-authored an article with Hasibul Hasan and Tabassum Rahman titled “COVID-19 Testing and Health Sector Resource Mobilisation,” published in The Daily Star on July 17, 2020.

The article analyzes Bangladesh’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the expansion of testing capacity and the mobilisation of health sector resources. While the number of PCR testing laboratories increased from 6 to 77, the persistently high test positivity rate signaled inadequate testing relative to the scale of the outbreak.

Despite public pressure for stronger healthcare investment, budgetary allocation to the health sector in 2020–21 rose only modestly to 5.2% of total government spending, remaining largely unchanged over the past decade. We argue that sustained investment and strategic resource allocation are crucial to strengthening public health infrastructure, improving testing capacity, and enhancing preparedness for future health crises.

My article titled “COVID-19 and the Food Crisis in Bangladesh: A Proposal for Action” was published by the Global Development Network (GDN) on July 6, 2020.

The piece examines how the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a nationwide food crisis in Bangladesh, revealing deep-seated vulnerabilities in the country’s food security and distribution systems. Lockdowns and economic disruptions caused widespread job losses and income shocks, pushing millions of households into acute food insecurity.

The article proposes urgent policy measures to address both the immediate crisis and long-term resilience—calling for expanded emergency food assistance, stronger social safety nets for vulnerable populations, improved supply chain management, and greater support for smallholder farmers to sustain production and access to food.

These actions, we argue, are essential not only for short-term relief but also for building a more resilient and equitable food system in Bangladesh capable of withstanding future shocks.

I co-authored an article with Hasibul Hasan titled “GDP Growth During and After Shutdown: Viewed Through Electricity Generation,” published in The Business Standard (Bangladesh) on June 24, 2020.

The article examines how Bangladesh’s economic performance during and after the COVID-19 shutdown can be tracked using electricity generation data as a proxy for GDP growth. The analysis reveals that both production and demand for electricity fell sharply during the lockdown and had not returned to pre-pandemic levels even after restrictions were eased—indicating a slower and uneven economic recovery.

Using electricity consumption trends, we estimated substantial daily economic losses and argued that the continued stagnation in energy use reflects broader structural challenges. The piece concludes that strategic resource allocation and targeted financial support for the poorest households are essential to stimulate recovery—measures that are both necessary and feasible within Bangladesh’s existing capacities.

I received the 2020 Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research from Monash Business School, recognizing research that advances scholarly knowledge while delivering significant societal impact.

The award highlighted field-based projects in rural Bangladesh, addressing critical challenges of poverty, inequality, and access to opportunity. These initiatives demonstrated how evidence-based interventions can generate meaningful, measurable outcomes—enabling over 7,000 children to access kindergarten education and helping 9,000 farmers increase rice yields through improved agricultural practices.

The recognition underscores my broader commitment to conducting research that not only contributes to academic scholarship but also informs policy and drives inclusive development.

I co-authored an article with Gaurav Datt and Sisira Jayasuriya titled “Containing COVID-19 in Bangladesh,” published by East Asia Forum on April 28, 2020.

The article examines Bangladesh’s early response to the COVID-19 pandemic, detailing government efforts to contain the spread through nationwide lockdowns, travel restrictions, school closures, and public health awareness campaigns promoting hygiene and social distancing. It also reviews measures taken to mobilize resources for emergency food assistance and stimulus packages aimed at supporting vulnerable groups during the crisis.

However, the piece highlights persistent challenges, including limited testing capacity, logistical constraints in healthcare, and socioeconomic hardships faced by the poor. We argue that Bangladesh’s experience underscores the urgent need for stronger governance, improved health infrastructure, and robust social safety nets to manage future public health emergencies effectively.

I discussed the unequal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across countries in an interview published by the Global Labor Organization (GLO) on April 19, 2020.

In the conversation, I explained that the effects of COVID-19 have been far more severe in developing countries, primarily due to weaker health infrastructure, including shortages of hospital beds, intensive care facilities, trained medical staff, and limited public awareness. These systemic gaps have made it considerably harder for developing nations to respond effectively to the pandemic, amplifying both health and economic vulnerabilities.

I participated in an interview with the Global Labor Organization (GLO) titled “The Challenges of the Coronavirus Crisis for Developing Economies,” published on April 19, 2020.

The discussion focused on how developing countries faced far greater challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic than their developed counterparts, due to weak health infrastructure, limited medical resources, and difficulties enforcing strict lockdowns. I emphasized that while temporary lockdowns were necessary to slow the spread of infection, a gradual reopening was vital to protect livelihoods and prevent long-term economic distress.

The conversation also underscored the importance of direct public assistance—including food transfers and targeted social protection—to support the poorest households. I highlighted how international organizations can play a key role in bridging resource gaps and supporting coordinated responses. Ultimately, the interview called for data-driven policymaking, targeted fiscal stimulus, and global cooperation to address both the immediate crisis and future global challenges.

My article titled “Covid-19 and Group Testing: A Possible Way to Enhance Testing and Contact Tracing” was published in Bonik Barta on June 15, 2020.

Written in Bengali, the piece explores group (or pooled) testing as a practical and cost-effective solution for expanding COVID-19 detection capacity in Bangladesh, where test kits and laboratory resources are limited. The article explains how combining multiple samples for a single test can significantly reduce costs and turnaround times—allowing health authorities to test more people, detect asymptomatic carriers, and control outbreaks more efficiently.

Drawing on examples from other countries, the piece highlights how the success of pooled testing depends on pool size, infection rates, and clear procedural protocols to maintain accuracy and minimize false negatives. It argues that with proper implementation, group testing could be a powerful tool for improving testing efficiency and contact tracing in resource-constrained settings.

As part of a collaborative project between BRAC and Monash University, our research team examined how non-financial incentives—such as performance-based certificates and public recognition—affect volunteer retention and student outcomes in rural Bangladesh.

Through the Chhatrabandhu (CB) program, thousands of volunteer tutors provide free after-school support to disadvantaged secondary school students, helping improve educational achievement in underserved communities.

Our randomized study found that publicly recognizing tutors with enhanced certificates for strong student performance increased overall student test scores by 7.2%, demonstrating the motivational power of recognition. However, this approach also led to higher dropout rates among altruistically or career-motivated volunteers, suggesting that incentive design can have complex behavioral effects.

The findings offer practical lessons for education and non-profit organizations seeking to balance volunteer motivation, retention, and program effectiveness. This study forms part of my broader research on behavioral incentives and motivation in education programs, aimed at improving learning outcomes and program sustainability through evidence-based design.

I co-authored an article with Ayushi Bajaj, Gaurav Datt, Lata Gangadharan, Sisira Jayasuriya, Pushkar Maitra, Vinod Mishra, Jaai Parasnis, and Ranjan Ray, titled “Nine Concerns About the Centre’s 1.7 Lakh Crore Package,” published by The Wire on April 2, 2020.

The article critically examines India’s COVID-19 relief and stimulus measures, announced to mitigate the pandemic’s public health and economic fallout. The government’s package included direct cash transfers, free food grains, expanded insurance for medical staff, and support for small businesses and rural employment programs.

While acknowledging these initiatives, we raised concerns about the adequacy and reach of the relief efforts, particularly the exclusion of informal and migrant workers, the limited fiscal scope of the package, and implementation challenges in targeting and delivery. The piece argues that effective crisis management requires expanded investment in public health, food distribution, and employment generation to fully protect vulnerable populations during both the emergency and recovery phases.

I co-authored an article with Firoz Ahmed titled “Feeding the Poorest 50 Million People in Bangladesh: An Alternative Proposal,” published in Bonik Barta on April 19, 2020.

Written in Bengali, the article addresses the emerging food crisis affecting around 50 million of Bangladesh’s poorest citizens, driven by the combined effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, rising food prices, and disruptions in supply chains. It highlights how vulnerable households face heightened risks of hunger and malnutrition as incomes fall and essential goods become increasingly unaffordable.

We argue for innovative and urgent policy action—including better-targeted food aid, improved distribution systems, and support for local food production—to ensure both immediate relief and long-term food security. The piece calls for strong government leadership and community-based initiatives to safeguard access to food for Bangladesh’s most vulnerable populations.

I contributed an article to the Financial Express (Bangladesh) anniversary issue, titled “Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences and the Importance of Randomized Controlled Trials.”

The piece discusses the significance of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, awarded to Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo, and Michael Kremer for their pioneering work in using randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to understand and address global poverty. It explains how RCTs have revolutionized development economics by enabling rigorous causal evaluation of policy interventions and providing credible evidence to guide effective poverty alleviation strategies.

The article also explores the conceptual foundations, benefits, and challenges of conducting RCTs in real-world settings, highlighting their growing role in shaping modern development policy.

Our research on the educational and behavioral impacts of chess instruction was discussed and featured by ChessBase in the article “Do Chess-Playing Children Perform Better in School?”.

The feature highlights findings from our randomized field experiments, which show that structured chess programs can enhance children’s problem-solving skills, concentration, and logical thinking, while also fostering patience, resilience, and strategic decision-making.

Although the effects on academic grades may vary across contexts, the overall evidence from our research supports chess as an effective, low-cost tool to strengthen foundational cognitive and socio-emotional skills.

This work forms part of our broader research agenda on innovative, skill-based educational interventions aimed at promoting long-term learning and personal development among children.

Our research on agricultural innovation and technology diffusion was featured as a CEPR working paper and discussed in the VoxEU column “How Information Matters for Adopting New Technology in Bangladesh”.

Low adoption rates of new agricultural technologies remain a major constraint on productivity and food security in developing countries. In collaboration with BRAC and other partners, we conducted a large-scale randomized controlled trial in rural Bangladesh to examine how the accuracy and frequency of information sharing among farmers influences the uptake of innovations such as the System of Rice Intensification (SRI).

The study found that frequent, high-quality training provided to a greater share of farmers in each village led to significantly higher peer adoption rates, even among those who did not receive formal instruction. Repeated training sessions further strengthened this effect, underscoring the importance of peer learning and social networks in promoting technology diffusion. However, the research also showed that risk aversion remains a key barrier—farmers with greater risk aversion were less likely to adopt new methods despite having access to reliable information.

These findings highlight the need for trustworthy information channels, sustained capacity-building efforts, and risk-sensitive strategies to accelerate agricultural transformation and support sustainable rural development.

I contributed an article to the Anniversary Issue of The Financial Express (Bangladesh) titled “Food Security and Innovation: Trying New Rice Cultivation Methods in Bangladesh.”

The article explores how improving agricultural productivity, particularly in rice cultivation, is essential for ensuring food security in Bangladesh. It highlights findings from our collaborative research on the System of Rice Intensification (SRI)—an innovative cultivation method that enhances yields by altering planting techniques, optimizing water use, and improving soil management.

Field trials and studies show that SRI can achieve substantial yield gains and greater resource efficiency without increasing production costs, offering a scalable and climate-smart solution for farmers. The article emphasizes the importance of continued experimentation, farmer training, and evidence-based agricultural policy to foster widespread adoption of sustainable innovations.

Our research on farmer training and knowledge diffusion is featured by B-Hub in the project summary “Incentivizing Referrals in a Farmer Training Experiment”.

This study explores how social networks and referral incentives can improve the dissemination of agricultural technologies and training among smallholder farmers in rural Bangladesh. The experiment tested whether offering modest, performance-based incentives to trained farmers for referring peers increased participation in training programs and accelerated adoption of improved farming practices.

Findings reveal that incentivized referrals significantly enhanced farmer outreach and knowledge sharing, leading to higher adoption rates of sustainable agricultural methods. The results underscore the potential of leveraging community trust and peer influence to scale up innovation diffusion in low-income, agrarian settings.

“Helping Poor Children through Free Private Tutoring,” published in The Financial Express, highlights Chhatrabandhu (“Friends of Students”), a community-led initiative that mobilizes educated local youth to provide free after-school tutoring for underprivileged students across Bangladesh.

The program, now active in 55 districts and over 1,400 schools, engages around 40,000 volunteers who teach mathematics and English to secondary students preparing for national exams. By fostering mentorship and academic support within communities, Chhatrabandhu improves learning outcomes, reduces dropouts, and nurtures a culture of social responsibility among young tutors.