Research and Policy Integration for Development - RAPID

📢 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗣𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛 — 𝗥𝗔𝗣𝗜𝗗 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 | 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

👇 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀

#𝗥𝗔𝗣𝗜𝗗𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗵 #𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 #𝗠𝗮𝘆𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 #𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 #𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗵 #𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

RAPID Chairman Dr M A Razzaque writes: The new strategic plan should therefore establish clear priorities, assign institutional responsibilities, define implementation timelines, and allocate the necessary resources to ensure that the most critical graduation-related reforms are carried out within the available window of opportunity.

Read the full article 👇🏻

The Daily Star

More time for reform, not more time for delay The UN CDP’s recommendation to consider an extension of Bangladesh’s preparatory period for LDC graduation is a highly significant development

🔗 Read the full policy brief here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ov_g50-QlUheYeOdk1HGkmk9fOWh-X_e/view

We are pleased to recognise Samia Islam Borsha, and Zara Mustafa as RAPID’s Staff Members of the Month for May 2026.

Their dedication, professionalism, teamwork, and commitment to advancing evidence-based research and policy engagement have made a valuable contribution to RAPID’s work.

Congratulations to both for this well-deserved recognition. We thank them for their hard work and wish them continued success in the months ahead.

The recovery of private sector credit growth will remain difficult unless the government recognises the wider consequences of excessive borrowing from the banking system.

Read the full article by RAPID Chairman Dr M A Razzaque 👇🏻

The Daily Star

Private sector credit growth: a symptom of deeper investment malaise Impaired banking intermediation has become a central part of the problem

𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦

আন্তর্জাতিক শ্রম সংস্থা - International Labour Organization jointly with its research partner Research and Policy Integration for Development - RAPID organised a consultation workshop on the draft National Social Insurance Scheme (NSIS) Roadmap, bringing together representatives from employers’ and workers’ organisations, development partners, UN agencies, academia, CSOs, and NGOs.

The consultation reflected a shared commitment and growing optimism towards establishing a more inclusive and sustainable social insurance system in Bangladesh, while also reinforcing the urgent need to strengthen protection for workers vulnerable to employment injury, unemployment, maternity, and sickness-related risks.

Dr M A Razzaque, Chairman, RAPID, delivered the keynote presentation, highlighting the strategic priorities and implementation pathways for advancing the NSIS Roadmap.

The session was moderated by Dr M Abu Eusuf, Executive Director, RAPID and Professor of Development Studies, University of Dhaka.

Participants emphasised the importance of expanding social insurance coverage across formal and informal sectors, strengthening governance and financing mechanisms, and advancing legal and policy reforms through social dialogue and tripartite cooperation.

The NSIS Roadmap has been developed through extensive stakeholder consultations with technical assistance from the ILO in collaboration with RAPID, supported by United Nations Development Programme in Bangladesh and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) of the Government of Australia.

📢 Announcement | RAPID Monthly Webinar

Join us for the upcoming RAPID Monthly Webinar on “Intergenerational Impacts of the Ultra-Poor Graduation Program: Early Findings from a 17-Year Follow-Up of an RCT in Bangladesh.”

🎙️ Presenter: Marzuk A N Hossain, Senior Research Associate, BRAC Institute of Governance and Development - BIGD

💬 Discussant: Md Zahidur Rahman, Research Fellow, RAPID & Lecturer, University of Dhaka

🎓 Moderator: Dr Md Deen Islam, Research Director, RAPID & Professor of Economics, University of Dhaka

📅 21 May 2026
⏰ 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
📍 Facebook Live

🔗 Zoom link below.

RAPID Chairman Dr M A Razzaque delivered a presentation titled “From Implementation Experience to Strategic Renewal: Priorities for the Next Phase of Social Protection in Bangladesh” at a workshop jointly organised by BRAC Institute of Governance and Development and Oxford Policy Management.