Research and Policy Integration for Development - RAPID

RAPID Chairman Dr M A Razzaque delivered the keynote presentation at a consultative dialogue with development partners on Reflection on National Social Security Strategy (NSSS) 2015-2026 Implementation Review & Next-Generation NSSS 2026 and beyond, organised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with support from the Australian Government.
Mr Anowarul Haq, Assistant Resident Representative, UNDP, delivered the opening remarks. Mr Syed Haider, First Secretary and Head of Development at the Australian High Commission in Dhaka, delivered the inaugural address.

📢 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗣𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛 — 𝗥𝗔𝗣𝗜𝗗 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 | 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

👇 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀

#𝗥𝗔𝗣𝗜𝗗𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗵 #𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 #𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 #𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 #𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗵 #𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

𝗔 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗿 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗹 𝗚𝗮𝘆

On 6 April 2026, Dr Daniel Gay, International Trade and Development Economist, visited the RAPID office for a conversation with RAPID researchers, moderated by Dr M A Razzaque, Chairman.

He opened with a thought-provoking reflection that the rules-based international trading order, long sold to the Global South as the path to prosperity, was always partially a lie — and that the middle powers who built and championed it are now quietly walking away, leaving the world's poorest countries to fend for themselves.

What followed was a candid, wide-ranging discussion on trade, democracy, and development, the highlights of which are shared in the link below.

https://www.rapidbd.org/conversation-with-dr-daniel-gay-at-the-rapid-office/

The Bangladesh Graduation Readiness Assessment Report, prepared by Dr Mohammad Abdur Razzaque, Chairman, Research and Policy Integration for Development - RAPID and Dr Daniel Gay, International Trade and Development Economist, stresses the need for urgent reforms, stronger implementation capacity, adequate policy space, and a whole-of-society approach to ensure a smooth and sustainable transition.

“The assessment report shows that the graduation readiness of Bangladesh is weak and has a lot of concerns and challenges,” Dr Razzaque told The Daily Star on the sidelines of the event attended by ministers, diplomats, economists, business leaders, and researchers.

Read more 👇🏻

The Daily Star

LDC graduation: UN report flags serious gaps in readiness Bangladesh’s readiness for graduation from least developed country status in November this year has been undermined by domestic and international crises, a UN assessment warns, with the US-Israel war on Iran adding a new threat.

Today, RAPID Chairman Dr M A Razzaque co-presented with Dr Daniel Gay, International Trade & Development Economist, the findings of the Bangladesh Graduation Readiness Assessment at a national multistakeholder consultation convened by the Economic Relations Division (ERD) and UN-OHRLLS. The assessment provides an independent analysis of Bangladesh's preparedness to manage the transition out of LDC status.

Mr Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Hon'ble Minister, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Planning, addressed the consultation as Chief Guest.

Special Guests included Mr Khandakar Abdul Muktadir, Hon'ble Minister, Ministry of Commerce; Dr Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, Hon'ble Adviser, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Planning; Ms Rabab Fatima, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative, UN-OHRLLS; and Mr Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki, Hon'ble State Minister, Ministry of Planning.

The consultation brought together senior policymakers, development partners, private sector representatives, and research institutions to examine the assessment's implications and identify priority actions for a smooth and sustainable graduation.

🔗

Congratulations to Mr Jillur Rahman on being selected as the RAPID Staff Member of March 2026! 🎉 Your leadership continues as a great example across RAPID.

📢 Join us for the RAPID Policy Debate on 31 March, 4–5 PM!

Jagannath University vs Rabindra University, Bangladesh: Family card initiative is a sustainable solution for social safety nets in Bangladesh.

📍 Live on Facebook | 🎥 Zoom link below

On 10 March 2026, the first meeting of the Working Committee—formed to provide input, feedback, and support to RAPID in conducting the UNICEF Bangladesh–commissioned study titled “Identification of WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) Sector Investments in Bangladesh’s Budget Accounting System”—was held at the Conference Room of the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE), Dhaka.

Dr Md Moniruzzaman, Additional Secretary, Water Supply Wing, Local Government Division, presided over the meeting.

Dr M Abu Eusuf, Executive Director of RAPID and Professor of Development Studies at the University of Dhaka, presented on “Scoping Study on Identifying WASH Sector Investment in the Budget Accounting System of Bangladesh for Effective Tracking.”

The Daily Star: Bangladeshi apparels are fetching over 10 percent higher prices in European markets on average compared to the United States, even for similar products, according to a recent study by the Research and Policy Integration for Development - RAPID.

Read more below 👇🏻

Bangladeshi garments fetch over 10% higher prices in EU than US Bangladeshi apparels are fetching over 10 percent higher prices in European markets on average compared to the United States, even for similar products, according to a recent study by the Research and Policy Integration for Development (RAPID).