Completed Projects
Under this project funded by the US State Department, Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI), will organize two rounds of security dialogues on Bangladesh-India Relations in 2017. The first dialogue will take place in New Delhi, India, and the second round will be held in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The platforms of the dialogues will bring leaders of both countries from different sectors and stakeholders to discuss on developing a regional strategy for Countering Violent Extremism (CVE). Emphasis will be on developing specific initiatives for countering extremist propaganda online and on the role of women.
The project will build up on three most powerful social institutions, namely journalists/media personnel, teachers and youth. Several intervention strategies will be followed. First, it will involve identifying and engaging with the local journalists/media personnel through offering suitable orientation training programmes. They will act as change agents to influence and guide the targeted youth of colleges and madrassas of the project areas. Second level of engagement will occur with the teachers of the same college and madrassas. They could be integrated into same training sessions. Third, training will be provided to the youth of targeted colleges and madrassas, aged between 15 and 35, on family values, value of information in mobilizing society with particular reference to variety of media channels, such as radio, newspapers, schools magazines and participatory reflective research to generate insights on radicalization leading to violent extremism. Trained youths will form peer groups to conduct activities on citizens’ journalism at their college and madrassa campuses and in open media spaces to generate and share positive messages, which will eventually contribute to building a resilient environment in their respective educational institutions and locality. Whereas the journalists will train the youths on collecting, analysing information and developing small news stories on issues of interest and arrange to disseminate them, the teachers will guide them to form groups and monitor their activities. Fourth, project will create a structure for institutional sustainability through establishing “Youth Forum for Building Social Resilience.” They will be connected eventually into an internet based web page.
The proposed project will be undertaken over a span of 30 months in 15 Upazillas located in the northern part of Bangladesh (Rangpur and Rajshahi Division). The beneficiaries of the proposed project will be the targeted youth and teachers will act as change agents for the youth. The project will form thirty peer groups ‘Youth Forums for Promoting Social Harmony” They will undertake various community level initiatives using various platforms of community journalism in order to spread positive social views with an aim to countering the radical perspectives, opinions and ideologies. They will organize wall poster competition, debate festival, dialogues and discussions on relevant critical issues to form opinion against the appeal of radicalization and violent extremism. The trained students will try to promote the value of pluralism, diversity, tolerance, democracy, human rights and positive religious views as part of their promotion of alternative narratives to Islamist terrorist ideologies.
The role of women, particularly those of female teachers is often underestimated in efforts to counter violent extremism, despite the fact that women and girls can either fall victim of violent extremism and can play an important role in preventing radicalization leading to violent extremism. According to the World Bank estimate, 49.40% of total population of Bangladesh is women and the inclusion of women in the CVE framework could give it a new and effective edge, particularly in the context of Bangladesh. Given their unique position in the family and society, female teachers can exercise significant influence on the families and communities to pre position them to fight the tendencies of violent extremism. If the government, civil society organizations (CSOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can seek support of female teachers, it could be possible to develop a new family eco system, possibly a new narrative, where empowered women can focus on the concerns of their children, families, students and neighbors, thereby building a resilient society, which can stand up against any threat either of radicalization or of extremism. The Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) intends to undertake a project to build capacity of the female teachers to counter the process of radicalization and violent extremism by providing structured knowledge, capacity, platforms and network.
Project Coordinator : Mr. Md. Humayun Kabir
Project Duration : 1 January, 2014-31 December, 2016
Development Partner : European Union
Status : Current
Objective :
Support various stakeholders involved with youth and children to prevent conflicts and consolidate peace in Bangladesh, while enhancing capacity building, networking, advocacy and dialogue.
Please feel free to contact at ashish@bei-bd.org for details.
Project Coordinator : Mr. Md. Humayun Kabir
Project Duration : 1 February, 2013-31 January, 2016
Development Partner : Royal Danish Embassy, Dhaka
Status : Current
Objective :
For further information, please contact Mr. Ashish Banik, Research Assistant, BEI at ashish@bei-bd.org, Phone:+88 02 9892662-3, Extn. 116
Project Coordinator : Mr. Md. Humayun Kabir
Project Duration : 1 December, 2012-31 March, 2014
Development Partner : RIIA/Chatham House, London, UK
Status: Completed
Project Coordinator : Mr. Shahab Enam Khan
Project Duration : 1 February, 2013-31 October, 2013
Development Partner : Friedrich-Naumann Foundation, Dhaka
Status : Completed
Project Coordinator : Mr. Jamil Osman
Project Duration : 12 September, 2012-28 February, 2013
Development Partner : USAID/SDLG
Status:Completed
Objective :
The objective of this project is to undertake a research study to gain an insight into the dysfunctional points in the process/system of allocation and spending of funds by the Local Government Bodies such as the Union, Municipal (Pourachava) and Upazilla Parishads and recommending measures for rectifying them for ensuring accountability and transparency in Local Goverment spending.
Submitted Date :2012-11-13 00:05:49
Project Coordinator : Mr. Md. Shahab Enam Khan
Project Duration : 1 March, 2012-28 February, 2015
Development Partner : Asia Foundation and USAID
Status: Completed
Objective :
The two objectives of PRODIP are to strengthen the Bangladesh Parliament and to enhance the role of civil society in political governance. In line with the objectives of PRODIP, BEI is undertaking a comprehensive program on Advocacy Program for Building partnership between the Parliamentarians and the Private Sector to modernize and update regulatory mechanism in Bangladesh in collaboration with the Asia Foundation. The objectives of the program are to:
• Improve parliamentary lawmaking and oversight capacity
• An effective parliamentary system
• Increased institutional capacity of CSOs to advance public participation in democratic governance.
Project Coordinator : Mr. Md. Humayun Kabir
Project Duration : October 2011 – June 2012
Development Partner : Embassy of the United States
Status: Completed
Project Coordinator : Mr. Md. Humayun Kabir
Project Duration : March 2012 – September 2012
Development Partner : Saferworld
Status: Completed
Objective :
For further information, please contact Mr. Ashish Banik, Research Assistant, BEI at ashish@bei-bd.org, Phone:+88 02 9892662-3, Extn. 116
Project Coordinator : Mr. Md. Shahab Enam Khan
Project Duration : 1 December, 2011-30 June, 2012
Development Partner : USAID
Status: Completed
Objective :
Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI) is currently implementing the year five activities of The Promoting Governance, Accountability, Transparency and Integrity (PROGATI) project. The objective of the project is to strengthen public institution oversight capacity with specific emphasis on the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of Bangladesh, PROGATI Partner Ministries, the Anti-Corruption Commission and Information Commission.
Year 5 of PROGATI builds on the successes by supporting the institutional strengthening and policy reforms sought by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (OCAG), the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Information Commission (IC), key ministries, and the parliament. Year 5 activities connect the downward reach of national-level public institution oversight bodies to the bottom-up approach employed by corruption-fighting CSOs under the first four years of the PROGATI project.
Project Coordinator : Mr. M.H. Khaleque
Project Duration : April, 2010- February, 2011
Development Partner : USAID and DAI
Status: Completed
Objective :
Objective: To strengthen public institution oversight capacity with specific emphasis on the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (OCAG) of Bangladesh, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and two partner Ministries namely Food Division and Local Government Division.
Project Coordinator : Mr. Farooq Sobhan
Project Duration : Eight Months
Development Partner : Commonwealth Secretariat
Status: Completed
Objective :
For further details, Please contact Mr. Md. Ezadus Salam, Research Associate, BEI at ezad@bei-bd.org
Project Coordinator : Mr. Md. Rashedur Rahman
Project Duration : October, 2009- September, 2011
Development Partner : UNDP, Dhaka & CSR Centre
Status : Completed
Project Coordinator : Mr. Md. Humayun Kabir
Project Duration : November, 2009- June, 2011
Development Partner : APCSS, BIISS and DIRI
Status : Completed
Project Coordinator : Mr. Md. Humayun Kabir
Project Duration : November, 2010- April, 2011
Development Partner : Saferworld, UK
Status : Completed
Project Coordinator : Mr. Md. Shahab Enam Khan
Project Duration : December, 2010- January, 2011
Development Partner : British Council, Dhaka
Status :Completed
Project Coordinator : Mr. Md. Humayun Kabir
Project Duration : July, 2010- November, 2010
Development Partner : Defense Institutions Reform Initiative
Status: Completed
Project Coordinator : Mr. Iftekar Ahmed
Project Duration : September, 2005- October, 2005
Development Partner : South Asia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF) and Foreign Investors Advisors Service (FIAS)
Status: Completed
Objective :
BEI, in collaboration with SEDF and FIAS, conducted the first Bangladesh Administrative Barriers Review (ABR) in 2005 – 2006. As part of this Review, BEI looked at six key regulatory issues that serve as barriers to investment and private sector development. The key issues examined were Environmental and Location Clearance Certification, Duty Drawback, Customs Clearance for Capital Machinery Imports, Bonded Warehouse Licensing and Foreign Loan Documentation. The Review incorporated a three-pronged approach, examining the view points of the Government of Bangladesh through a detailed process mapping, of business intermediaries and firms through a survey, and of the private sector in general through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). Based on these inputs, BEI prepared a comprehensive report and presented the findings to stakeholders at a workshop in February 2006. The first ABR was an integral part of the design phase of the Bangladesh Private Sector Development Support Project.
Project Coordinator : Mr. Hasan Imam
Project Duration : 7 January, 2010-31 March, 2011
Development Partner : IFC-BICF.
Status : Completed
Project Coordinator : Mr. Hasan Imam
Project Duration : 15 June, 2009-14 March, 2010
Development Partner : IFC-BICF
Status : Completed
Project Coordinator : Mr. Hasan Imam
Project Duration : 15 December, -31 March, 2010
Development Partner : IFC-BICF.
Status : Completed
Project Coordinator : Mr. Hasan Imam
Project Duration : 15 December, 2009-28 February, 2011
Development Partner : IFC-BICF.
Status : Completed
Project Coordinator : Ms. Lopa Rahman
Project Duration : November, 2004- December, 2007
Development Partner : The Royal Netherlands Embassy
Status: Completed
Objective :
Corporate Governance is the system by which organizations are directed and controlled. The corporate governance structure specifies the distribution of rights and responsibilities among different participants in the organization, such as, the board, managers, shareholders, and spells out the rules and procedures for making decisions on the company’s affairs. By doing this, it also provides the structure through which the company objectives and set, and the means of attaining those objectives and monitoring performance.
BEI is committed to establishing sound practice of corporate governance in Bangladesh, through its continuous research, training, discussions and dialogues with key practitioners of governance, and to send a strong message to investors and observers in the international arena that Bangladesh has recognized the importance of corporate governance and is taking definite steps to improve its corporate governance performance in the private, public, and the non-governmental sector.
The strategic goal of BEI’s CGSP is to build the operating capacity to apply good corporate governance practices for economic and social development of Bangladesh, and thus make significant contribution toward encouraging investment, strengthening the capital market, boosting economic growth and reducing corruption.
Project Coordinator : Mr. Md. Humayun Kabir
Project Duration : December, 2011- December, 2012
Development Partner : Royal Danish Embassy, Dhaka
Status: Completed
Objective :
For further information, please contact Mr. Ashish Banik, Research Assistant, BEI at ashish@bei-bd.org, Phone:+88 02 9892662-3, Extn. 116
Project Coordinator : Mr. Farooq Sobhan, President, BEI and Mr. Ifty Islam, Managing Partner, AT Capital.
Project Duration : September, 2009- August, 2010
Development Partner : Department for International Development Bangladesh (DFID-B)
Status : Completed
Objective :
To identify the potential of the Bangladeshi Diaspora in the economic Transformation of Bangladesh through leveraging its Diaspora in terms of knowledge and skills transfers and improving its global commercial interface. The Project will also promote the establishment of an effective Diaspora Knowledge Network (DKN) of British Citizens of Bangladeshi origin and organizations and individuals in Bangladesh. A special effort will be made to involve young professionals in the financial, legal, academic sectors as well as those involved in community work and promoting innovative ideas, champions of reform and ‘change makers’ in this initiative.
For additional information please contact Ms. Lopa Rahman, Project Director, BEI (lopa@bei-bd.org), Mr. Md. Rashedur Rahman, Senior Research Associate, BEI (rashed@bei-bd.org) and Mr. Asif Ayub, Programme Manager, BEI (asif@bei-bd.org) and Ms. Farzana Hoque, AT Capital (farzana.hoque@at-capital.com)
Project Coordinator : Mr. Md. Humayun Kabir
Project Duration : December, 2011- December, 2012
Development Partner : Royal Danish Embassy, Dhaka
Status : Completed
Objective :
For further information, please contact Mr. Ashish Banik, Research Assistant, BEI at ashish@bei-bd.org, Phone:+88 02 9892662-3, Extn. 116
Project Coordinator : Mr. Shahab Enam Khan
Project Duration : January, 2010- June, 2010
Development Partner : The Commonwealth Secretariat
Status: Completed
Objective :
The project aims to enhance the competitiveness of Bangladesh’s business environment through improvements to its trade logistics systems and processes. The main objective of the project is to carry out a trade facilitation benchmarking study that will assist the Government of Bangladesh to assess its trade facilitation efforts against best practice countries and international standards, and develop a strategy to address gaps identified in the consultancy report. It is proposed that the project will be conducted in joint collaboration with the concerned stakeholders both from public and private sector.
Project Coordinator : Mr. Shahab Enam Khan
Project Duration : December, 2009- March, 2010
Development Partner : Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Status: Completed
Objective :
E-Government is one of the most important factors in “Digital Bangladesh” since it involves citizen’s access to crucial services and the government’s ability to make quick, timely and informed decisions regarding resources allocation. There is often an effort to put disproportionate emphasis on communication infrastructure, such as computers and Internet, and not as much on its strategic use, when it comes to issues of Digital Bangladesh. E-Government is increasingly becoming an issue that would require different stakeholders to come together to find solutions – particularly the government, the private sector, the financial institutes and donors. This project focuses to bring all the concerned stakeholders to a common platform to discuss the issues to turn Bangladesh into a information based society and thus in turn implementing the idea of Digital Bangladesh.
Project Coordinator : Ms. Lopa Rahman
Project Duration : February, 2009- January, 2010
Development Partner : DFID
Status: Completed
Objective :
The Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) in association with the Foundation for Development Cooperation (FDC) based in Australia and Libra Advisory Group based in UK has initiated the Bangladesh Social Enterprise Project (BSEP), supported by the British Government’s Department for International Development (DFID). This project aims to utilize key strengths of the private sector to address some of the poverty related issues of our country.
The project purpose is to identify and build innovative partnerships within the private sector to undertake projects and programmes which are commercially viable and directly benefit the poor in alleviating poverty and at the same time, meet the development objectives of Bangladesh.
Project Coordinator : Mr. M. Shafiullah and Mr. Zahid Hossain
Project Duration : August, 2004- May, 2005
Development Partner : Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Status : Completed
Objective :
This study produced a comprehensive research-based report with the objective of providing a solid foundation for e-Commerce policy dialogues and concrete strategic steps to be taken by different stakeholders, such as the private sector, the government, law-makers, and academia. The study primarily aimed to bring into focus:
- quantifiable benefits of the private sector in moving towards e-Commerce,
- specific steps and initiatives that may be undertaken by private companies,
- support required from the government in terms of infrastructure, legal framework, policies, and incentives,
- preparedness of the IT industry and technical human resource for e-Commerce, and
- the need for international standard business curricula in Bangladesh.
Project Coordinator : Ms. Lopa Rahman
Project Duration : July, 2002- July, 2004
Development Partner : DFID
Status : Completed
Objective :
The roadmap was a diagnostic assessment of the corporate governance regulations and practices in Bangladesh compared to its neighbors: India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The assessment was measured against international norms and current practices as recognized by the OECD Guidelines on Corporate Governance. The report identified critical areas where institutions, regulations, or other economic factors in the corporate sector could be strengthened to improve Corporate Governance (CG). This report identified that the relatively low level of international investment in Bangladesh does not provide a sufficient motivation for improving CG, nor are there many traditional domestic motivations for improvement in CG practices in Bangladesh. As Bangladesh begins to focus on the development of the private sector, strong corporate governance is a key part of increasing economic efficiency and efficiently utilizing domestic investment to achieve greater economic development. Good corporate governance practices will help develop and stimulate better business management, strategic management, and risk management. In the long term this will make Bangladeshi businesses more competitive.
