Highlighting Bangladesh Miracles and Challenges: JICA-RI Holds Authors' Workshop for a Book Publication

The research findings of the project are expected to be published in a book. The authors’ inception workshop was held in November 2013, which was followed by the second one organized on July 18, 2014. This workshop brought together researchers and authors involved in the project, including: Director Hiroshi Kato, Deputy Director Naohiro Kitano, Visiting Fellow Yasuyuki Sawada (Professor of the University of Tokyo), Research Fellow Akira Murata, and Research Assistant Naoki Nishimura from JICA-RI; Professor Keijiro Otsuka and Professor Tetsushi Sonobe of the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS); and Dr. Minhaj Mahmud, Head of Research at BRAC University. The participants shared their opinions based on presentation in light of the content of the the book.

The book aims to analyze significant structural transformation that contributes to the miraculous Bangladesh’s economic and social development that the country has achieved despite weak governance and various risks. Such structural transformation includes: ready-made garment sector, microfinance, infrastructure, labor migration, women’s empowerment, education, and the growing presence of NGOs in rural society. At the same time, the publication aims to discuss the challenges that Bangladesh needs to tackle: disparities in internal employment opportunities (particularly among the youth), income, and educational opportunities; the air pollution and traffic accidents caused by rapid urbanization; technological disasters such as the collapse of industrial facilities; and the long-term effects and risk management of large-scale natural disasters.

The editors and authors, incorporating the results of this workshop into the book, are to prepare for the publication in 2015.