"BIDS Critical Conversations 2019" Held
“BIDS Critical Conversations 2019” was held during 28-29 April, 2019 at a hotel in Dhaka addressing the “Bangladesh Journey: Moving Beyond LDC”. Given Bangladesh’s excellent economic performance, the conference theme this year reflects on the core challenges faced that could potentially hold up our forward march. The “Critical Conversations” were intended to exchange views in a free, frank but calm manner focusing on evidence and analysis to support arguments.
Spread over a total of six technical sessions, this year’s topics included Macroeconomic and Financial Sector, Inequality and Poverty, Life after LDC, Quality and Relevance of Higher Education, Democratization of the Economy: Visions and Challenges, and Industrialization through Special Economic Zones.
The conference was inaugurated by Mr. M A Mannan, MP and Honorable Minister, Ministry of Planning, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. Professor Wahiduddin Mahmud, Former Advisor to the Caretaker Government of Bangladesh graced the event as the Guest of Honour. Dr. Shamsul Alam, Senior Secretary and Member, General Economic Division was present as the Special Guest. Dr. K.A.S. Murshid, Director General of BIDS provided the background context and introduced the Conference, as Chair.
The concluding plenary session, “Difficult Discussions” was chaired by eminent economist Professor Rehman Sobhan where Dr. Mashiur Rahman, Economic Affairs Advisor to the Honorable Prime Minister of the Government was present as the Chief Guest. An eminent panel of experts was present to address critical and relatively sensitive issues on Migration Policy, Violence Against Children and the implications of the Emerging Political Economy of Bangladesh.
The conference was well attended by eminent scholars, policy makers, development practitioners, civil society members, activists, advocacy groups and journalists, and generated keen public interest. Video links to the different sessions are given below.
Inaugural Session: “Bangladesh Journey: Moving Beyond LDC”
Chair: Dr. K A S Murshid, Director General, BIDS
Chief Guest: Mr. Muhammad Abdul Mannan , MP
Honorable Minister, Ministry of Planning, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Guest of Honour: Professor Wahiduddin Mahmud, Former Advisor to the Caretaker Government, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Special Guest: Dr. Shamsul Alam, Member (Senior Secretary), General Economics Division
Ministry of Planning, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Session 1: Critical Issues in Macroeconomic and Financial Sectors
Trigger Presentations:
1. Dr. Kazi Iqbal, Senior Research Fellow, BIDS
2. Dr. Monzur Hossain, Senior Research Fellow, BIDS
Session 2: Inequality and Regional Poverty
Trigger Presentations:
1. Dr. Binayak Sen, Research Director, BIDS
2. Dr. S.M. Zulfiqar Ali, Senior Research Fellow, BIDS
Session 3: Life after LDC
Trigger Presentation:
Dr. Nazneen Ahmed, Senior Research Fellow, BIDS
Session 4: Quality of Education and Graduate Unemployment
Trigger Presentation:
Dr. Minhaj Mahmud, Senior Research Fellow, BIDS
Session 5: Democratization of the Economy: Visions, Policies and Challenges
Trigger Presentation: Dr. Kazi Ali Toufique, Research Director, BIDS
Session 6: Industrialization through Special Economic Zones
Trigger Presentation:
Dr. Mohammad Yunus, Senior Research Fellow, BIDS
Closing Plenary: Difficult Discussions
1. Need to Rethink Migration Policy
-Female Migration
-Migrant Rights
- Spectre of Return Mass Migration
2. Violence Against Children
3. Emerging Political Economy of Bangladesh
Chair: Professor Rehman Sobhan, Chairman, Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD)
Chief Guest: Dr. Mashiur Rahman, Economic Affairs Adviser to the Honorable Prime Minister, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
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