CPD Quarterly highlights challenges of implementing SDGs in Bangladesh

October-December 2015
Vol XIV Issue 4
the editor's desk
One of the distinctive
features of CPD activities
during the last quarter of 2015 was
that CPD had organised a number of
events concerning Bangladesh’s national
priorities in the context of some key global
developments. These are related to Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), COP21, and WTO
MC-10. A press briefing was organised to share
with media the implications of SDGs for
Bangladesh followed by a multi-stakeholder
dialogue to discuss how the SDG goals can be
integrated with Bangladesh’s national planning
process. CPD also organised a workshop to
expose concerned government officials to key
aspects and challenges in view of the SDGs and
the role they will be expected to play during the
process of its implementation. A rapid
assessment of the outcomes of COP21 and
WTO MC-10 was prepared by CPD and released
to the media in a press briefing, where it was
observed that interests and concerns of LDCs
were not adequately addressed in the two
outcome documents.
Another important event was organisation of a
dialogue to disseminate the findings of the study
titled Advancing the Interests of Bangladesh’s
Migrant Workers: Issues of Financial Inclusion
and Social Protection. The event was a
collaborative programme of CPD with the
Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas
Employment, GoB and ILO Country Office in
Bangladesh. Appropriate policy interventions and
coordination with national and international
partners to ensure financial inclusion and social
protection of the migrant workers were urged at
the dialogue.
CPD Chairman Professor Rehman Sobhan’s
memoir Untranquil Recollections: The Years of
Fulfillment was published in this quarter. The
memoir captures some significant events, as
narrated by an important player, in the struggle
for independence of Bangladesh.
Some of the other research initiated by CPD,
during this quarter, included the first reading of
the State of the Bangladesh Economy in
FY2016; thematic study on inclusive growth in
Bangladesh; Post-2015 Data Test and the
Middle Income Trap.
Quarterly
Centre for
Policy
Dialogue
Bangladesh
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development is not only an agenda belonging
to either the government, private sector or
civil societies, rather it should be considered
as the citizens’ agenda. Every citizen should
be informed about the SDGs and the
government should publicise its contents and
global development commitments as much as
possible for increasing awareness about the
goals and ensuring successful delivery of the
targets in the context of Bangladesh.
The observation was made by Sir Fazle
Hasan Abed, Founder Chairperson of BRAC,
also Member of CPD Board of Trustees while
addressing as the Chair at a dialogue on
“National Level Implementation Challenges of
2030 Agenda” held at BRAC Centre Inn
Auditorium in Dhaka on 31 October 2015.
The dialogue, organised by the CPD in
association with Southern Voice on
Post-MDG International Development Goals
and in partnership with Friedrich Ebert
Stiftung (FES) Bangladesh, convened a wide
range of stakeholders to deliberate on ways to
align SDGs implementation with national
planning and policy processes in Bangladesh.
While presenting the keynote CPD
Distinguished Fellow Dr Debapriya
Bhattacharya also, Chair of Southern Voice on
Post-MDGs, put forth management,
coordination and leadership issues for SDG
implementation; data-related issues and
capacity of the national statistical agencies;
and partnership and stakeholder participation
including institutional arrangements.
Financing would be one of the biggest
challenges for the SDGs in developing
countries like Bangladesh as SDGs came at a
time when the global economy is experiencing
a setback resulting in depleting foreign aid,
noted Dr Bhattacharya while speaking on the
means of implementation including systemic
issues. He also urged establishment of a
citizens’ platform alongside political will at all
levels in favour of implementation to ensure
strengthened accountability.
Participants of the session observed that
particular emphasis should be laid on SDG 16
which talks about promoting peaceful and
inclusive societies, providing justice for all
and building effective, accountable and
inclusive institutions at all levels.
Mr A H M Mustafa Kamal, MP, Hon’ble
Minister for Planning as the Chief Guest, Mr
Md Shahidul Haque, Secretary, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs as the Special Guest and Mr
Robert Watkins, UN Resident Coordinator and
UNDP Resident Representative in Bangladesh
as the Guest of Honour addressed the
dialogue. Following introductory remarks by
CPD Executive Director Professor Mustafizur
Rahman, the keynote presentation was
complemented by Discussants Dr Saleemul
Huq, Director, International Centre for Climate
Change and Development (ICCCAD) and Dr
Md Khairul Islam, Country Representative,
WaterAid Bangladesh.
The floor discussion was addressed by
members of parliament, members of the
planning commission, economists and
experts from local and international
community.
(left) Debapriya Bhattacharya, Robert Watkins, A H M Mustafa Kamal, Fazle Hasan Abed, Md Shahidul Haque,
Mustafizur Rahman, Saleemul Huq and Md Khairul Islam
Dialogue on Sustainable Development Goals
SDGs as citizens’ agenda
Stress peace, justice and strong institutions

CENTRE FOR POLICY DIALOGUE (CPD)  A CIVIL SOCIETY THINK TANK
CPD Quarterly 2 October - December 2015
An Appreciation Course on 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development and Implementation Challenges at the National
Level was organised by CPD for the government officials at BRAC
Centre Inn Auditorium in Dhaka on 10 November 2015. The event
was participated by 26 officials representing various ministries,
departments, commissions and training institutions.
The objective of the course was to provide the participants with
a comprehensive understanding as regards the process and
substance of the 2030 Agenda with its goals, targets and possible
indicators; resource gaps and financing of the SDGs and
implementation challenges in the context of Bangladesh.
CPD Distinguished Fellow Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya
mentioned that the recently adopted SDGs will pose formidable
challenges in terms of implementation, both at the country and
global levels. In view of the above, government officials will need
to play a crucial role in implementing the 2030 Agenda in
Bangladesh over the coming years.
An in-depth understanding about the issues involved and the attendant
challenges pointed out by key stakeholders will be critically important in
terms of implementing the SDGs in Bangladesh, noted CPD Executive
Director Professor Mustafizur Rahman.
Government officials with CPD researchers
Understanding the SDGs: CPD workshop for government officials
Bangladesh should build on its
attainments and unfinished agenda as
regards the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) with particular emphasis on
economic reformation, employment
generation and governance for successful
implementation of the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs).
Along with emphasis on the weaker
areas, the uneven progress of MDGs
across different regions could be another
basis to start working for implementation of
the SDGs at the country-level, flagged an
outline presented by CPD Distinguished
Fellow Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya.
He articulated the points while sharing
the implementation challenges of SDGs
for Bangladesh at a media briefing at
BRAC Centre Inn Auditorium in Dhaka on Monday 5 October 2015.
Adopted at the seventieth session of the UN General Assembly on 25
September 2015 the 193 UN member states have committed to work
towards implementing the 17 SDGs as part of the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development within their own countries and at the regional and
global levels.
Dr Bhattacharya considered five key challenges for Bangladesh for
implementing the SDGs. Those are-
 integration of goals with the national planning process,
 mobilising financial and non-financial resources,
 devising institutional mechanism for implementation,
 availability of data for monitoring and
 participation of all and enforcement of accountability.
An interministerial body under the leadership of the Prime Minister’s
Office might lead the implementation process involving national parliament
and local government institutions while the government might also form a set
of task forces involving both government and non-government experts in
this regard, observed Dr Bhattacharya.
The SDGs came as an ambitious global development partnership
launched at a time of challenging international environment, noted Dr
Bhattacharya. Political will and strengthened accountability process at the
global, regional and national levels would be key to implementing the SDGs,
he added.
The media briefing was also addressed by CPD Executive Director
Professor Mustafizur Rahman in presence of Ms Anisatul Fatema Yousuf,
Director, Dialogue and Communication, Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem,
Additional Research Director and CPD Research Fellows Mr Towfiqul Islam
Khan and Dr Subir Kanti Bairagi.
Implementing SDGs in Bangladesh: Weaknesses with achievements
Media Briefing on Sustainable Development Goals
Workshop on Sustainable Development Goals
(from page 8)
Bangladesh Migrant Workers
non-state actors’ participation and
incentivisation; strengthened participation in
global initiatives and partnerships towards
enforcement of ILO Conventions would further
facilitate the migrants’ welfare.
Mr A H M Mustafa Kamal, MP, Minister for
Planning addressed the dialogue as the Chief
Guest and Mr M A Mannan, MP, State Minister for
Finance and Planning addressed as the Special
Guest. Ms Beate K Elsaesser, Charge ď Affaires
and Director of Cooperation, Embassy of
Switzerland in Bangladesh was the Guest of
Honour. The event was co-chaired by Mr Nurul
Islam, BSc, Hon’ble Minister, MEWOE and Mr
Syed Manzur Elahi, Member, CPD Board of
Trustees and Former Advisor to the Caretaker
Government.
Following welcome remarks by Mr Khandker
Md Iftekhar Haider, Secretary, MEWOE and
introductory remarks from Mr Srinivas B Reddy,
Country Director, ILO Country Office, Dhaka, the
keynote presentation was addressed by
Discussant Dr Zahid Hussain, Lead Economist,
The World Bank.
The floor discussion was addressed by Md.
Shafiul Alam, Deputy Director, Bangladesh Bank;
Begum Shamsun Nahar, Director General,
Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training
(BMET); Professor Ishrat Shamim, President,
Centre for Women and Children Studies (CWCS);
Ms Sheepa Hafiza, Director, Gender, Justice &
Diversity and Advocacy and Migration
Programme, BRAC; Mr Kamal Quadir, Chief
Executive Officer, bKash Limited; Mr Md. Sayeed
Sikder, GM & Company Secretary, Board
Division, Pubali Bank Ltd. among others.
CPD senior researchers addressing the media

Eradication of poverty as
envisioned by the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) will
critically hinge on development
of rural economies in the least
developed countries (LDCs),
according to the UNCTAD’s
LDCs Report 2015.
In this regard, creating
employment opportunities
through infrastructure
investment and exploiting the
synergies between increasing
agricultural productivity and
diversification into productive
non-farm activities would be key requirements for what the report termed as
“Poverty-Oriented Structural Transformation (POST)” of rural economies.
CPD Research Fellow Mr Towfiqul Islam Khan shared salient features of
the report subtitled “Transforming Rural Economies” with journalists at a
CPD media briefing at CIRDAP Auditorium in Dhaka on 26 November 2015,
coinciding with the report’s global
launch on the same day. He also
laid out a comparative analysis of
Bangladesh’s performance and
recent trends in the LDCs to
relate to the relevant policy
interventions stated in the report.
CPD Distinguished Fellow Dr
Debapriya Bhattacharya
highlighted that Bangladesh
would need to prioritise human
development to facilitate
infrastructural development,
employment of the poor,
women’s participation in the
labour force and incorporate these strategies into the Seventh Five-Year
Plan (7FYP) for structural development of agriculture.
CPD Executive Director Professor Mustafizur Rahman mentioned that
though 69 per cent of the global population is located in rural areas the 2030
Development Agenda would require equal
(left) Anisatul Fatema Yousuf, Debapriya Bhattacharya, Towfiqul Islam Khan, Mustafizur Rahman,
Fahmida Khatun and Khondaker Golam Moazzem
Interests and concerns of LDCs
were not adequately addressed
in the context of the two recent
global events: COP21, held on
30 November to 11 December
2015 in Paris, France and the
10th World Trade Organization
Ministerial Conference (WTO
MC-10), held on 15-18
December 2015 in Nairobi,
Kenya. In view of this,
Bangladesh will need to devise
appropriate strategies and
strengthen its institutional and negotiating capacities to advance its interests
and secure the deliverables.
The observations emerged from a media briefing held at BRAC Centre
Inn Auditorium in Dhaka on 23 December 2015 to present CPD’s views on
the implications of the two major global events for Bangladesh and what the
country should do in view of their outcomes.
Two separate keynote presentations were made by the CPD Research
Director Dr Fahmida Khatun and the Executive Director Professor
Mustafizur Rahman on the COP21 and WTO MC-10 respectively.
Dr Khatun observed that Bangladesh needs to adapt to keep lives and
livelihoods safe and secure in view of the changing climate, and to adopt a
low-emission economy. In this connection, Bangladesh should invest in
Green technology to graduate to a Green Economy path.
On the outcomes of the WTO MC-10, Professor Rahman observed that
modality of discussion at the WTO MC-10 was not transparent and inclusive.
EU, USA, India, China and Brazil mainly participated in the negotiations
where EU and USA dominated.
Except relaxation of the rules of
origin there was hardly any
benefit for the LDCs, he
observed. He, however,
regretted that there was no
meaningful progress as regards
operationalisation of the services
waiver particularly with respect
to implementation of the
preferential market access
through flexible administrative
procedures, visa-free regime,
and easier rules for commercial presence, degree equivalence, recognition
of accreditation certifications etc.
Professor Rahman urged Bangladesh to continue pushing for
“meaningful market access” under the Hong Kong decision as regards
DF-QF market access for LDCs.
Bangladesh will need to be actively engaged in negotiations to
operationalise the services waiver decision particularly with respect to
modalities concerning preferential access in services market. To address
the systemic changes in the WTO, Bangladesh will need to examine
implications of the various approaches to negotiations including
multilateralisation of plurilaterals with embedded special and differential
(S&D) provisions.
Following the two presentations, CPD Distinguished Fellow Dr Debapriya
Bhattacharya shared his views on the subjects and stressed that
Bangladesh will need to look beyond multilateralism and seek to utilise
opportunities of other parallel processes.
Outcomes of COP21 and WTO MC-10 leave much to desire from LDCs
Develop rural economies for SDGs’ success
UNCTAD LDCs Report 2015
Debapriya Bhattacharya responding to questions from media
COP21 and WTO MC-10
Ambassador Dr Borje
Ljunggren, Former Swedish
Ambassador to China, Vietnam
and Tanzania, on The Chinese
Dream: Challenges for China &
the World on 21 November
2015
(middle) Dr Ben Hillman, Senior Lecturer, Australian National University on China’s
“One Belt One Road” Initiative and Unrest in China’s West on 26 November 2015
(Continued on page 7)
In-house Dialogues

The Southern Voice and LDC IV Monitor, in association with the CPD,
organised a session titled “The Role of Trade Facilitation in the Context of
Increasing Regional Integration of Least Developed Countries” as part of the
Nairobi Trade and Development Symposium (TDS) on 17 December 2015.
The Symposium was held in the sidelines of the Tenth Ministerial
Conference of the World Trade Organization (MC-10).
At the session, international experts on trade and regional integration
explored possible avenues and modalities to implement the much-needed
Trade Facilitation (TF) measures which could advance the cause of
increasing regional integration of LDC economies.
The session was moderated by Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, Chair,
Southern Voice and LDC IV Monitor, and Distinguished Fellow, CPD. The
speakers included Professor Mustafizur Rahman, Executive Director, CPD;
Professor Jaime de Melo, Emeritus Professor, University of Geneva; Dr
Ratnakar Adhikari, Executive Director, Enhanced Integrated Framework
(EIF) Executive Secretariat, World Trade Organization (WTO); and Dr Jodie
Keane, The Commonwealth Secretariat. Mr Nicolas Imboden, Partner and
Co-founder, IDEAS Centre and Professor Rorden Wilkinson, University of
Sussex initiated the discussion on the presentations which was followed by
interactive exchanges with the participants of the session. Dr Fahmida
Khatun, Research Director, CPD also participated in the discussion.
Dr Bhattacharya offered opening remarks where he emphasised how
regional cooperation has emerged as a major vehicle for economic
development of LDCs and as a means of strengthened global integration of
their economies. TF played a key role in deepening trade and investment
cooperation among LDCs, improved labour mobility and promoted peace
and security in the region. He also highlighted that among the different types
of regional integration seen in recent times that involved low income
countries, South-South Cooperation (SSC) was gaining increasing
prominence and importance. In this context, TF was assuming growing
relevance.
Professor Mustafizur Rahman informed that regional
integration has allowed LDCs to bring down tariffs but
non-tariff barriers and measures continue to persist. In
this connection, the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA)
was of high importance to LDCs.
Professor Rahman put emphasis on paperless trade,
establishment of single windows, more coordination
among various agencies in LDCs, and also coordination
among organisations across the borders and between the
customs systems.
Professor Jaime de Melo showed how the trade cost for
LDCs was higher than that of developing countries; within
LDCs, trade cost was higher for landlocked LDCs because
of the involvement of transit countries through which they
had to trade.
Dr Ratnakar Adhikari mentioned that in the second
phase of the EIF regional dimension will be given due
importance.
Dr Jodie Keane spoke about the capability of LDCs to
negotiate trade agreements and costs. She felt that there
was much scope for further work to deepen land connectivity, air transport,
liner shipping and address related logistical issues.
Mr Nicolas Imboden observed that many of the TF measures can be
undertaken at zero cost if the private sector is mobilised.
Professor Rorden Wilkison addressed the cultural aspects of trading
across borders. He called for greater exchange of knowledge among
counterparts and emphasised the need for greater awareness about
procedures related to border crossing.
The presentations were followed by an open discussion where
participants raised a number of important issues related to TF. These
included, among others, vested interest groups that worked against TF,
costs of non-cooperation in TF, challenges of mobilising funds for TF and
role of national agencies to undertake commitments and obligations in view
of the TF Agreement adopted at the Bali Ministerial.
Young Scholars’ Seminar Series (YSSS)
(left) Jodie Keane, Debapriya Bhattacharya, Ratnakar Adhikari and Mustafizur Rahman
Nairobi Trade and Development Symposium (TDS) 2015
Avenues and modalities to implement TF measures for regional integration of LDCs
CPD Research Associate Mr Estiaque Bari (second from
top-left) presented cross-country case studies and empirical
analysis with his paper Bangladesh Graduates from Low to
Middle Income Group: Entering into Middle Income Trap? in
the last session of YSSS for the year of 2015 held at CPD
office on 28 October.
Mustafizur Rahman addressing the session as a panelist

Rehman Sobhan, Chairman

Participated in the Bangladesh Development Initiatives (BDI) Conference,
organised by the Institute for South Asia Studies, Berkeley University in
Berkeley, California on 6-8 November 2015 where he:
- Chaired a session titled Professor Nurul Islam’s contribution to Economic
Theory and Practice, with a paper titled “Nurul Islam: Celebrating the life
of a Freedom Fighter”.
- Attended as a Panelist at a session titled Politics and Governance.

Attended the launching ceremony of the book Untranquil Recollections:
The Years of Fulfilment, organised by SAGE Publications India Pvt. Ltd in
New Delhi, India on 14 December 2015.

Attended and addressed the second day of the international seminar on
Trade and Employment Challenges: Insights for South Asia, jointly
organised by the Research Department of the International Labour
Organization (ILO), Geneva and Institute for Human Development (IHD) in
- Also chaired the fourth session of the same seminar titled Regional
Trade Agreements: Employment Challenges and Opportunities of
Integrated Markets in South Asia.
Mustafizur Rahman, Executive Director

Participated at the WTO Public Forum on Trade Works at the WTO
Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland during 30 September-2 October 2015.

Attended workshop titled Restoring Multilateral Trade Cooperation in a
Multipolar Global Economy: What is the Future of the WTO? organised by
South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) in Geneva,
Switzerland on 2 October 2015.

Participated in the Second meeting of the BIMSTEC Network of Policy
Think Tank, co-hosted by The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and
the Indian Studies Centre of Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok,
Thailand on 8-9 October 2015.

Participated in the brainstorming meeting on Study Methodology of the
Research Programme on South-South and Triangular Cooperation, jointly
organised by Southern Voice on Post-MDG International Development
Goals and Science Technology and Innovation Policy Research
Organization (STIPRO) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on 12-13 October 2015.

Attended the strategic vision meeting for the Southern Voice network titled
Towards an Effective Southern Voice Network, organised by Southern
Voice on Post-MDG International Development Goals and STIPRO in Dar
es Salaam, Tanzania on 13-14 October 2015.

Participated in the Annual Forum of Re-thinking Asia titled Ensuring
Social Standards in Global Trade: A Common Challenge for Asia and
Europe in Tutzing, Germany on 2-3 November 2015.

Participated in the 5th South Asian Regional Meeting of Think Tank
Initiative (TTI), organised by The Centre for Policy Research (CPR) in
Haryana, India on 18-20 November 2015.

Participated in the 8th South Asia Economic Summit (SAES VIII),
organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), during
in Islamabad, Pakistan on 7-8 December 2015 where he was designated
speaker in the:
- Concurrent Panel A-5 titled Sustainable Transportation and Logistics
Corridors in South Asia
- Concurrent Panel B-5 titled Investment in Agriculture in South Asia and
Scope for Regional Cooperation.

Attended as a speaker in session titled “The Role of Trade Facilitation in
the Context of Increasing Regional Integration of Least Developed
Countries”, as part of the Nairobi Trade and Development Symposium
(TDS) – sideline event of the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC-10),
organised jointly by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), Southern Voice
on Post-MDG International Development Goals and LDC IV Monitor in
Nairobi, Kenya on 17 December 2015.
Debapriya Bhattacharya, Distinguished Fellow

Participated in the WTO Public Forum on Trade Works at the WTO
Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland during 30 September - 2 October
2015 where he:
- was a Speaker at the session titled Trade works through innovative
partnerships for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda on 1 October.
- participated as a Panelist at panel discussion on Multilateral Framework
on Competition, organised by Consumer Utility and Trust Society (CUTS)
International on 1 October.

Participated as a Panel Member in the brainstorming meeting on Study
Methodology of the Research Programme on South-South and Triangular
Cooperation jointly organised by Southern Voice on Post-MDG
International Development Goals and STIPRO in Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania on 12-13 October 2015.

Delivered the welcome and closing remarks at the strategic vision meeting
for the Southern Voice network titled Towards an Effective Southern Voice
Network, organised by Southern Voice on Post-MDG International
Development Goals and STIPRO in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on 13-14
October 2015.

Made a presentation on the launching of the UNESCAP report titled
“Least Developed Countries and Trade: Challenges of Implementing the
Bali Package,” prior to the Expert Group Meeting on Trade Policies for
Sustainable Development, organised by United Nations Economic and
Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) in Bangkok,
Thailand on 3-4 November 2015.


Attended as a Discussant in the 2nd Busan Global Partnership Forum,
funded and organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of
Korea in Seoul, Republic of Korea on 23-24 November 2015.

Attended the Expert Group Meeting on Macroeconomic Prospects, Policy
Challenges and Sustainable Development in Asia-Pacific, organised by
ESCAP in Bangkok, Thailand on 30 November 2015.

organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), in
Islamabad, Pakistan on 7-8 December 2015 where he:
- presented the keynote lecture titled “Revisiting South Asian Cooperative
Relationship through the Prism of 2030 Global Agenda of Sustainable
Development” at the Opening Plenary on Securing Peace and Prosperity.

Participated in three sideline events of the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference
(MC-10) 2015 in Nairobi, Kenya on 15-18 December where he was:
- Speaker at an E15 Initiative meeting on Leveraging Finance for
Development Beyond 2015, organised by International Centre for Trade and
Sustainable Development (ICTSD) and World Economic Forum (WEF).
- Speaker at a TDS session on The WTO and Sustainable Development:
An Agenda for the General Council, organised by ICTSD.
- Moderator of a session titled The Role of Trade Facilitation in the Context
of Increasing Regional Integration of Least Developed Countries,
organised jointly by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), Southern Voice
on Post-MDG International Development Goals and LDC IV Monitor.
CPD Professionals in International Fora
Visits
A team from China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR) visited
CPD on 23 November 2015 Meeting with USAID officials on regional connectivity on 11 October 2015

Rounaq Jahan, Distinguished Fellow

Participated in the Bangladesh Development Initiatives (BDI) Conference,
organised by the Institute for South Asia Studies, Berkeley University,
California on 6-8 November 2015 where she:
- Chaired a session titled Politics and Governance.
- attended a session titled Professor Nurul Islam’s contribution to
Economic Theory and Practice, with a paper titled “Nurul Islam:
Celebrating the life of a Freedom Fighter.

Attended the launching ceremony of the book Untranquil Recollections:
The Years of Fulfilment, organised by SAGE Publications India Pvt Ltd in

Attended as Panelist in the concluding panel on “Trade, Investment and
Employment Policies for Sustainable Development” at an international
seminar on Trade and Employment Challenges: Insights for South Asia,
jointly organised by the Research Department of the International Labour
Organization (ILO), Geneva and Institute for Human Development (IHD) in
Fahmida Khatun, Research Director

Attended a conference on Advancing the BBIN Agenda: Exploring
Possibilities in Trade, Transit, Energy and Water Cooperation, organised
by Observer Research Foundation (ORF) and The Asia Foundation in
Kolkata, India on 3-4 December 2015.

Participated in a session on “The Role of Trade Facilitation in the Context
of Increasing Regional Integration of Least Developed Countries”, as part
of the Nairobi Trade and Development Symposium (TDS) – sideline event
of the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC-10), organised jointly by
CPD, Southern Voice on Post-MDG International Development Goals and
LDC IV Monitor in Nairobi, Kenya on 17 December 2015.
Khondaker Golam Moazzem, Additional Research Director


Attended as panelist in the workshop on Impact of FDI on Growth: An
Empirical Analysis Involving South Asian Countries, organised by The
Energy and Resource Institute (TERI) in New Delhi on 3 December 2015.

organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) in
Islamabad, Pakistan on 7-8 December 2015 where he was:
- designated speaker in the Concurrent Panel A-7 titled Intra-regional
Investment and Supply Chains in South Asia.

Attended as a panelist at a session on “Regional Integration and
Employment from the Perspective of South Asian Economies” of the
international seminar on Trade and Employment Challenges: Insights for
South Asia, jointly organised by the Research Department of the
International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva and Institute for Human
Development (IHD) in New Delhi, India on 17 December 2015.
Towfiqul Islam Khan, Research Fellow

Presented a paper titled “Illicit Financial Flows in the Context of
Bangladesh”, at an international conference titled Many Voices, One
Purpose: The 6th Financial Transparency Conference, organised by
Financial Transparency Coalition (FTC), Transparency International
Indonesia and Prakarsha in Jakarta, Indonesia on 19-21 October 2015.

Made a presentation on “Estimating Women’s Contribution to the
Economy: the Case of Bangladesh”, at the 5th South Asian Regional
Meeting of Think Tank Initiative (TTI) organised by The Centre for Policy
Research (CPR), in Haryana, India on 18-20 November 2015.

Participated in a Meeting of Technical Working Group on Defining,
measuring and reporting South-South Cooperation: Accounting grants,
debt, technical assistance and in-kind support between developing
countries, organised by Network of Southern Think-Tank (NeST) and
UNCTAD in Geneva, Switzerland on 17-18 December 2015.
Md. Zafar Sadique, Senior Research Associate

Attended a training workshop titled Introduction to General Equilibrium
Modelling using RunGTAP, organised by United Nations Economic and
Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) in Bangkok,
Thailand on 2-4 December 2015.
Umme Shefa Rezbana, Senior Research Associate

Attended a brainstorming meeting on Study Methodology of the Research
Programme on South-South and Triangular Cooperation and the strategic
vision meeting for the Southern Voice network titled Towards an Effective
Southern Voice Network, organised by Southern Voice on Post-MDG
International Development Goals and STIPRO in Dar es Salam, Tanzania
on 12-14 October 2015.

Participated as a discussant in two-day consultation on Regional
Cooperation on Trade, Climate Change and Food Security in South Asia:
Reflections and Way Forward, organised by South Asia Watch on Trade,
Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) and Oxfam in Kathmandu, Nepal
on 27-28 December 2015.
Shahida Pervin, Research Associate

Participated in the Third Training Programme on Labour Economics:
Theories, Methodologies and Research Issues, organised by South Asian
Research Network (SARNET), Institute for Human Development (IHD)
and the International Labour Organization (ILO) in New Delhi, India during
27 October-7 November 2015.

Attended the 11th Workshop for Empirical Trade Analysis titled Impact of
Trade Facilitation and Aid for Trade, organised jointly by World Trade
Organization (WTO) and ESCAP in Bangkok, Thailand on 21-24
December 2015.
Refaya Rashmin, Research Associate

Attended a brainstorming meeting on Study Methodology of the Research
Programme on South-South and Triangular Cooperation and the strategic
vision meeting for the Southern Voice network titled Towards an Effective
Southern Voice Network, organised by Southern Voice on Post-MDG
International Development Goals and STIPRO in Dar es Salam, Tanzania
on 12-14 October 2015.
Estiaque Bari, Research Associate

Attended the regional conference on Economy of Tomorrow: Escaping the
Transformation Trap, organised by Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) in
Bangkok, Thailand on 3-4 December 2015.
Lam-ya Mostaque, Research Associate

Attended a youth summit titled One Young World Summit 2015 organised
under the initiative of “Call on COP” in Bangkok, Thailand on 18-21
November 2015.
Rehman Sobhan, Chairman

Attended the Celebration of SIDA 50 Years, organised by Embassy of
Sweden at the residence of Swedish Embassy in Dhaka on 18 November,
2015.

Attended the Governing Council Meeting of South Asia Foundation (SAF)
at Hotel Westin Dhaka on 24 November, 2015.

Attended the Board Meeting of Bangladesh Institute of Development
Studies (BIDS) on 22 December 2015.
Mustafizur Rahman, Executive Director

Attended Bangladesh Development Forum (BDF) hosted by Economic
Relations Division (ERD) during 15-16 November 2015.

Presented keynote at National Level Training Workshop on Sustainable
Development Goals: Land Use, Food Security and Changing Pattern of
Agriculture in Bangladesh organised by Bangladesh Academy for Rural
Development (BARD) in Comilla on 29 November 2015.
Debapriya Bhattacharya, Distinguished Fellow

Delivered a lecture on “Bangladesh: Vision 2021 and Post-2015 International
Development Agenda” at Foundation Training Course (FTC) of Bangladesh
Public Administration Training Centre (BPATC) on 27 October 2015.

Delivered a lecture on “Bangladesh Vision 2021 and Post-2015
International Development Agenda” at Advanced Course on Administration
and Development (ACAD) of Bangladesh Public Administration Training
Centre (BPATC) on 8 November 2015.
Khondaker Golam Moazzem, Additional Research Director

Presented keynote at a seminar titled Increased Production for Vision 2021
organised by National Productivity Organisation (NPO) on 2 October 2015.

Attended as Panelist at Round Table Discussion on Foreign Direct
Investment organised by Foreign Investors’ Chamber of Commerce and
Industries on 14 October 2015.

Presented keynote at a seminar on Regional Connectivity: Opportunities
and Challenges for Bangladesh organised by Dhaka Chamber of
Commerce and Industry (DCCI) on 17 October 2015.

Presented a technical paper at the SAFA International Conference 2015 on
Financial Reforms to Boost Industry and Service Sectors organised by
Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh (ICMAB) on
18-19 October 2015.
CPD Professionals in National Fora
(from page 5) International Fora (contd.)

(from page 8)
Publications (contd.)
government quite literally ceased to run outside
the military cantonments. Dhaka Tribune, 14
November.

Rahman, M. 2015. It’s high time to resolve NTB
issue. The Financial Express, 15 November.

Moazzem, K.G. 2015. Global trade landscape
and Bangladesh. The Financial Express, 15
November.

Khatun, F. 2015. Counting a woman’s worth.
The Daily Star, 17 November.

Rahman, M. 2015. WTO decision on pharma:
an opportunity. The Daily Star, 19 November.

Khatun, F. 2015. Pledges of Paris Climate
Summit. The Daily Star, 23 November.

Khatun, F. 2015. Rural transformation in focus.
The Daily Star, 30 November.

Ahamed, M. 2015. Behavioral intervention in
public policy. The Financial Express, 3
December.

Khatun, F. 2015.The pleasure of giving. The
Daily Star, 7 December.

Rahman, M. 2015. evwYR¨ evov‡Z DbœZ †`k¸‡jv
†_‡K †ewk cÖwZkÖæwZ wb‡Z n‡e. Sokaler Khabor, 15
December.

Khatun, F. 2015. WTO’s Nairobi package for
LDCs. The Daily Star, 21 December.

Khatun, F. 2015. Economic development in
2015. The Daily Star, 28 December.

Moazzem, K.G. 2015. A_©bxwZ‡Z ¯^w¯Íi eQi. Kaler
Kantho, 29 December.

Jahan, R. 2015. 25 years after we became
democratic. Dhaka Tribune, 29 December.

Rahman, M. 2015. wek¦ evwYR¨ Av‡jvPbv: wmwcwWi
AviI wKQz K_v. Prothom Alo, 30 December.
Newspaper Interviews

Khatun, F. 2015. GmwWwR ev¯Íevq‡b gš¿Yvjq¸‡jv‡K
Av‡iv m‡PZb I mwµq n‡Z n‡e. Bonik Barta, 7
October.

Khatun, F. 2015. Financial transparency
needed to attain middle-income country. New
Nation, 5 November.

Moazzem, K.G. 2015. evsjv‡`‡ki jv‡fi RvqMv
PviwU. Prothom Alo, 7 November.

Rahman, M. 2015. wewb‡qvM evov‡Z AvZ¼ I
AwbðqZv KvUv‡Z n‡e. Bangladesh Protidin, 8
November.

Bhattacharya, D. 2015. Dbœqb wPšÍv Ki‡Z n‡e
GmwWwR‡K wN‡iB. Prothom Alo, 12 November.

Rahman, M. 2015. wUKdvq evsjv‡`‡ki Ici hv‡Z
wKQz Pvwc‡q w`‡Z bv cv‡i †m e¨vcv‡i mZK© _vK‡Z n‡e.
Shokaler Khabor, 24 November.
(from page 6)
National Fora (contd.)

Attended a seminar titled Bangladesh’s
Neighbours in Indian Northeast: Exploring
Opportunities and Mutual Interest organised by
Bangladesh Asiatic Society on 13 November
2015.

Attended as Discussant in Plenary Session 1 of
the Annual Banking Conference 2015 of
Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management on
22 November 2015.

Attended a seminar titled Trade Facilitation:
Opportunities and Challenges for Sustainable
Growth organised by Dhaka Chamber of
Commerce and Industry (DCCI) on 1 December
2015.

Moderated the inception workshop titled
Problems and Challenges of Tea Workers of
Bangladesh organised by the Asia Foundation
on 14 December 2015

Presented the keynote in a seminar titled
Regional Connectivity- Opportunities and
Challenges for Bangladesh organised by
Bangladesh Supply Chain Society on 19
December 2015.
Towfiqul Islam Khan, Research Fellow

Made a presentation on ‘Women of Bangladesh
in the Context of Economy and Development’ at
workshop titled Gender, Women Empowerment
and Development organised by Mahila
Parishad at Sufia Kamal Auditorium on 10
October 2015.

Attended as a Panelist at discussion titled
Taxes: Who Benefits? Who Pays? organised by
University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh at
Shilpakala Academy Auditorium on 28
November 2015.

Attended as a Discussant at National
Consultation Meeting titled Fair Tax Monitor
Bangladesh organised by SUPRO at the A S
Mahmud Seminar Hall of the Daily Star on 15
December 2015.
Estiaque Bari, Research Associate

Attended the Eighth South Asian Training
Programme on “CGE Modelling” organised by
SANEM at Cox’s Bazar on 4-8 August 2015.
Mahtab Uddin Ahmed, Research Associate

Attended a seminar titled The Potentiality of
Tripartite Discussion Mechanism for Solving the
Labor Disputes and Labor Issues organised by
Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS)
in December 2015.
Mostafa Amir Sabbih, Research Associate

Attended a workshop titled “Our Money Our
Budget: Universal Access to Public Services”
organised by SUPRO on 13 December 2015.
Independent Review of Bangladesh Economy
As part of its tradition to review Bangaldesh economy regulary, CPD
prepared the report titled First Reading of the State of Bangladesh Economy
in FY2016. This has been prepared under the flagship programme of the
CPD titled Independent Review of Bangladesh’s Development (IRBD). The
purpose of this report is to present an assessment of the performance of key
sectors of the Bangladesh economy and to track trends in major
macroeconomic variables during the first half of FY2016. The review
examines quality of macroeconomic management and underlying strengths
and weaknesses of the economy, at the halfway mark of the ongoing fiscal
year. The report considers latest available data and information from
domestic and international sources, as well as insights gleaned from key
informants. CPD research team for IRBD contributed towards the
preparation of the report.
Thematic Study on Inclusive Growth
This is an ongoing research undertaken as part of the IRBD. The study on
Inclusive growth comprises of the following themes: (i) The quest for
inclusive growth: concepts and issues; (ii) An assessment of inclusive
growth in Bangladesh; (iii) Growth, employment and structural
transformation; (iv) Decent work, labour market policies and inclusion; (v)
Social inclusion through access to opportunities; (vi) Governance and
institutions. Team Members of the study include: Dr Mohammad Muqtada,
Professor Mustafizur Rahman, Dr Debapriya Bhattachrya, Dr Fahmida
Khatun, Dr Khondokar Golam Moazzem, Mr Towfiqul Islam Khan and other
CPD researchers.
Addressing the Deficits: An Action Plan for Data Revolution
in Bangladesh
The study is being implemented jointly by CPD and Southern Voice under
the ‘second phase’ of Post-2015 Data Test. This study focuses on
developing of an “action plan” to address the gaps identified during the ‘first
phase’ of Bangladesh country study. The action plan will identify envisaged
output/ outcome, required resources, policy initiatives, allocation of
responsibilities to key implementing agency/agencies including government
institutions and development partners involved and a timeline for
implementation. The study will also draw lessons and insights from
Bangladesh experience which will be relevant for other countries in
addressing data revolution and related issues at the global level.
Researchers of this study are Professor Mustafizur Rahman, Mr Towfiqul
Islam Khan, Mr Zafar Sadique and Mr Mostafa Amir Sabbih.
The Political Economy of Change: How to Escape the Middle Income Trap
The study draws on global experience whereby a number of countries have
fallen into the middle income trap and attempts to identify a suitable
strategy for Bangladesh to avoid this trap in future. This study attempts to
anticipate political economy factors and social forces that work against
graduation of countries from the ‘middle income status’ and seeks to identify
conducive factors to counter the resistive forces and help steer Bangladesh
towards overcoming the trap. This research has been supported by the
Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) Bangladesh. Team members of the study
are Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, Professor Mustafizur Rahman and Mr
Estiaque Bari.
Research Division Report
(from page 3)
UNCTAD LDCs Report 2015
emphasis on the urban and the rural. The
expected transformations would enable
Bangladesh to graduate from the LDCs as well as
help expedite income generation and human
resource development altogether, he added.
Graduating from the LDCs would also increase
Bangladesh’s opportunity to avail commercial
loans and enable the country to participate at
many international negotiations that cannot be
partaken as an LDC at the moment, underscored
Dr Fahmida Khatun, Research Director, CPD.

Published by Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD)
House - 6/2 (7th & 8th floors), Block - F, Kazi Nazrul Islam Road, Lalmatia Housing Estate, Dhaka - 1207, Bangladesh
Telephone: (+88 02) 9141703, 9143326; Fax: (+88 02) 8130951; E-mail: info@cpd.org.bd; Website: www.cpd.org.bd
Extending the use of
remittances sent by Bangladeshi
migrant workers from mere
consumption to more productive
areas including investment and
social protection would pave way
towards their greater welfare and
better contribution to
Bangladesh’s economy. To this
end the government needs to
implement the right policies and
ensure coordination with
national and international
partners as well as by reducing the global cost of remittance transaction as
committed by the recently adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Such observations emerged from CPD dialogue on “Safeguarding
Interests of Bangladesh Migrant Workers: Issues of Financial Inclusion and
Social Protection” held at Lakeshore Hotel on 21 October 2015. The event
was jointly organised with the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas
Employment (MEWOE), Government of Bangladesh and International
Labour Organization (ILO) Country Office in Bangladesh.
While presenting the keynote, CPD Executive Director Professor
Mustafizur Rahman noted that although developing countries have
experienced astronomical growth of remittance inflow, only 26.6 per cent of
remittance recipient households in Bangladesh are engaged in some type
of investment while some 60 per
cent of a BBS 2014 survey
respondents indicated to have
had bank accounts. Despite
being the most frequently used
mode for channeling remittance
in Bangladesh, banks remain the
most expensive medium,
charging 11.0 per cent of the
remitted money, in comparison
with money transfer operators
(MTOs) charging at 6.6 per cent,
observed Professor Rahman.
Drawing from best practices around the world, Professor Rahman
recommended a number of policy interventions to enable banking service to
facilitate investment of remittance, introduction of Insurance and Pension
Schemes for migrants, use of mobile telephony for information services,
social security agreement with host countries, comprehensive migrants‘
database, modernising state financial services, bolstering platforms for
inclusion of migrant workers into the financial ecosystem and financial
education both in the home and host countries.
MEWOE will need to be capacitated and have its priorities reflected in
subsequent policy interventions. Inter-ministerial and institutional
coordination, public-private partnership among government agencies,
banks, insurance companies; (Continued on page 2)
(left) Mustafizur Rahman, Beate K Elsaesser, Srinivas B Reddy, A H M Mustafa Kamal, Syed Manzur
Elahi, M A Mannan, Iftekhar Haider and Zahid Hussain
Bangladesh Migrant Workers
Policy intervention should enhance migrant workers’ financial inclusion and social protection
Khatun, F. Khan, T.I. Pervin, S.
and Jahan, H. 2015. Estimating
Women’s Contribution to the
Economy: The Case of Bangladesh.
Dhaka: Centre for Policy Dialogue
(CPD) and Manusher Jonno
Foundation (MJF).
Sobhan, R. 2015. Untranquil
Recollection: The Years of
Fulfilment. New Delhi: SAGE
Publications India Pvt Ltd.
Rahman, M. (Ed.) 2015.
Towards Regional Integration
in South Asia: Promoting
Trade Facilitation and
Connectivity. Dhaka: Centre
for Policy Dialogue (CPD).
Publications
Books
le développement international (Ferdi) in association with Éditions
Economica, Paris.

Bhattacharya, D. 2015. Regional monitoring and review mechanism for
effective implementation of the post-2015 development agenda.
Secretariat Note E/ESCAP/FSD(2)/INF/1. Available at:
http://www.unescap.org/sites/default/files/pre-ods/FSD2_INF1E.pdf
Articles in International Publications

Khatun, F. 2015. Will foreigner killings hurt Bangladesh economy? The
China Post, 7 October.

Khatun, F. 2015. Still a way to go for a middle-income Bangladesh. East
Asia Forum, 15 October.

Khatun, F. 2015. 10th WTO Ministerial Conference: LDC agenda for
Nairobi. Trade Insight, 11 (3): 14-19. Kathmandu: South Asia Watch on
Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE).

Khatun, F. 2015. Political Stability is the key to growth in Bangladesh.
East Asia Forum, 29 December.
Newspaper and Magazine Articles

Moazzem, K.G. 2015. wkí-evwY‡R¨i Kvw•ÿZ cwi‡ek m„wó‡Z hv Riæwi. Samakal,
5 October.

Khatun, F. 2015. Will the killings affect the economy? The Daily Star, 5
October.

Khatun, F. 2015. A better tomorrow. The Daily Star, 13 October.

Khatun, F. 2015. The Nobel mind on economies of poor countries. The
Daily Star, 19 October.

Khatun, F. 2015. Mitigating the implications of TPP. The Daily Star, 26
October.

Sobhan, R. 2015. The writ of the Pakistan
E-book
Bhattacharya, D. & Mikić, M. (Eds.). 2015. Least Developed Countries and
Trade: Challenges of Implementing the Bali Package. Bangkok: United
Nations publication, Studies in Trade and Investment No. 83. Available at:
http://www.unescap.org/sites/default/files/LDCs%20and%20trade.pdf
Journal Article
Bhattacharya, D. 2015. “Regional Integration and the Post-2015 Framework:
A South Asian Perspective.” In Kelegama, S. & De, P. (Eds.), Selected
Papers of the Seventh South Asia Economic Summit, New Delhi, 5-7
November, 2014. New Delhi: SAGE Publications. Research article in South
Asia Economic Journal Supplement Issue. Available at:
http://sae.sagepub.com/content/16/2_suppl
Working Paper
Rahman, M. and Jahan, H. 2015. Bali Ministerial of the WTO and the way
Forward: Safeguarding LDC Interests. CPD Working Paper 111. Dhaka:
Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).
International Reports

Bhattacharya, D. 2015. Post-2015 International Development Agenda in
the Context of Interlocking Trade and Financing in the LDCs. Geneva:
International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) and
World Economic Forum (WEF). Think Piece, E15 Expert Group on Trade,
Finance and Development. Available at: http://e15initiative.org/wp-
content/uploads/2015/09/E15-Finance-Bhattacharya-final.pdf

Bhattacharya, D. 2015. “Role of South-South Cooperation in the Context
of the Post-2015 Agenda.” In Boussichas, M. and Guillaumont, P. (Eds.)
Financing Sustainable Development: Addressing Vulnerabilities (pp.
91-102). Clermont-Ferrand: Fondation pour les études et recherches sur

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