JICA-RI Organizes Inception Workshop for Bangladesh Book Project

Bangladesh has achieved a remarkable development progress with GDP average growth rate of 5 % per annum in the last decade, due to a smooth transformation of the labor force from agriculture sector to non-agriculture, and job creation in the readymade garment (RMG) industry. On the other hand, the poor have faced risks: large-scale natural disasters such as cyclones; technological disasters such as the collapse of industrial facilities; and traffic accidents caused by the disorderly transportation system in urban areas. Reduction of these risks, therefore, is one of the keys to accomplish poverty alleviation.

Given this background, JICA-RI has worked on a study project entitled “Empirical Study on Risk and Poverty in Bangladesh” since 2012. The project is scheduled to publish a book based on the findings from the study. For its purpose, JICA-RI organized an inception workshop for authors on November 21. Focusing on the three pillars—“industrialization success,” “microfinance,” and “resilience,” the participants discussed the outstanding economic and social development in Bangladesh, while addressing the potential vulnerabilities that the country faces.

Researchers, who have rich experience and academic expertise in the research areas, joined the Inception Workshop, together with JICA-RI Visiting Fellow Yasuyuki Sawada (Professor, the University of Tokyo), former Senior Research Fellow Suguru Miyazaki (Current Deputy Resident Representative of the JICA China Office), Advisor Kazuhiko Ueno, Research Fellow Akira Murata, and Research Assistant Naoki Nishimura.

JICA-RI is to hold an open workshop in the middle of 2014, aiming to publish the book in early 2015.