Bangladesh Development Initiative (BDI), a 30-year-old diaspora think tank promoting research for data-driven policies in Bangladesh, organized an international conference at the University of California, Berkeley, US.
The "Bangladesh Reimagined: The Next Half-Century" conference was held on November 8-10.
It was attended by some 100 academics from 25 universities and institutions, the gathering included professors, researchers, and civil society leaders from universities and think tanks in Bangladesh and beyond.
The event was held in partnership with UC Berkeley's Chowdhury Center on Bangladesh Studies. The center is housed under the Institute for South Asia Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, and champions the study of Bangladesh’s cultures, peoples and history.
The conference's opening keynote, delivered by Dr Nazrul Islam, former chief of Development Research at the UN, honored the late Professor Nurul Islam's influential work, which along with the work of other economists such as Professor Rehman Sobhan, eventually led to the six points demand, and the liberation struggle.
Other speakers included Dr Mushtaque R Chowdhury, former Brac vice-chair, and experts like Dr Fahmida Khatun, Dr Birupaksha Paul, and Dr Selim Raihan, who discussed Bangladesh’s economic prospects, and banking reforms.
The formal opening ceremony on Saturday morning featured remarks from Dr Munir Quddus, BDI president, Dr Elora Shehabuddin, Chowdhury Center director, Dean Raka Ray at UC Berkeley, and US State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary Nicole Chulick, who highlighted US support for Bangladesh's interim government.
Following the opening, student leaders from the recent pro-democracy movement in Bangladesh joined virtually in a session, moderated by Professor Farhana Sultana, to discuss their experiences in the Monsoon Biplob. Sayeeda Meher Afrog, Taposhi Dey Prapti – both students, participated in the plenary, “The July–August Pro-Democracy Movement in Bangladesh – Success, Challenges and Opportunities.”
The conference also featured presentations on climate and environmental challenges, including a documentary, “No Ark”, emphasizing interfaith awareness and collaboration for climate activism.
The conference concluded with a closing ceremony and a hopeful message for reimaging a dynamic, democratic, and inclusive Bangladesh over the next fifty years.
BDI is a think tank made up of scholars and professionals in the Bangladeshi diaspora in America. Their mission is to enhance cross-disciplinary research and scholarship, which would lead to well-informed, data-driven policies to improve the lives of the citizens of Bangladesh.
BDI aims to support policymakers and leaders in Bangladesh through solid research and innovative ideas. Its flagship publication, The Journal of Bangladesh Studies (JBS), is the only peer-reviewed journal outside Bangladesh, with an exclusive focus on interdisciplinary studies pertaining to Bangladesh and its development. Recently, JBS partnered with Brill, a prestigious academic publisher, highlighting its impact and significance.
Over the past two decades, BDI has hosted conferences at prominent American universities, including, Harvard, Yale, and University of California, Berkeley. The 2024 conference was its first large in-person event since Covid-19, after hosting six virtual research events in the past two years.
BDI awards the "Lifetime Achievement Award" to individuals whose work significantly impacts the welfare of the people of Bangladesh.
Recent recipients include Dr Hameeda Hossain (2021) for her impactful, lifelong advocacy for women, and Dr Samir Saha (2023) for his groundbreaking work on vaccines to save children’s lives in Bangladesh.
The awardees become honorary members of BDI, a distinguished group of scholars, including Professor Rehman Sobhan, the late Professor Nurul Islam and Professor Jamilur Reza Choudhury.
