The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

Discussants at a roundtable on Thursday laid emphasis on the autonomy of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) for taking up research and other programmes.

The function was organised on the 50th anniversary of the BIDS, the country's lone government-funded thinktank.

Finance and Planning Adviser Dr AB Mirza Azizul Islam was in the chair. Researchers, academics, representatives of different multilateral agencies and civil society organisations took part in the discussion on the theme "Policymakers and Policies: From the Past into the Future."

Former finance ministers M Syeduzzaman and AMA Muhit, former minister for planning Air Vice Marshal (retd) AK Khondker, former finance adviser M Hafizuddin, and former adviser for planning Professor Rehman Sobhan spoke as designated panelists on the occasion.

As former ministers and advisers, they dealt with the BIDS, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Planning, in the past and on Thursday they gathered to share views on its 'golden jubilee' celebrations.

BIDS Director General Dr Qazi Shahabuddin presented the opening statement on the occasion.

Referring to various socio-economic problems the country is now facing, the participants said much of it has arisen because the policies taken up in the past were not transparent in the first place and they also lacked accountability.

More significantly, public ownership on such policies and projects were missing in most cases, they said pointing to a gap between policymakers and policy researchers in one hand and policymakers and the public as stakeholders on the other.

They dealt with poverty reduction, health, population control, education, resources allocation, globalisation, trade diversification, import substitution and a lot of other issues and said these require a renewed approach now in moving the nation forward.

The participants said BIDS autonomy is not only important through the changing of time but there is also a need for linking policy decision-making process with supplying valuable research inputs.

On how to make the BIDS pro-active, Prof Rehman Sobhan said the government can lend more support to it in terms of various policy research engagements.

Moreover, the organization may at the same time create its own demand by puting a strong supply side by working on burning market-related issues, he emphasized.

AK Khondker said the Planning Ministry might give guidelines to the BIDS but a minimum intervention may be useful to all.

Stressing more research support to policymaking process and to policymakers in particular, Finance Adviser Dr AB Mirza Azizul Islam said it has now become more important

He said as the gap between the domestic and global issues influencing the economy is ever narrowing, only adequate policy research on issues influencing the economy can tell the direction of changes and the way that the country should follow.

He said as the economy is becoming more and more globalised, the sovereignty in economic decision-making is also declining.

"What was once the domain of local policymaking is no more so," he said pointing to many difficult factors that have to be reckoned with now in taking a decision.

Referring to various conflicting issues, he further said trade liberalisation and local protectionism are often taking conflicting stand and the government has to make compromise often at the displeasure of many local quarters.

He said at the end the country will have to stand on its competitive strength and local protection or subsidy cannot be continued for long except in case of new industry.