Social science research has
a crucial role to play as an aid to policy formulation. In an under
developed country like Bangladesh it is utmost necessary to build up
an institution having comprehensive net-work of social research
because detailed knowledge about prevailing socio-economic
conditions in the country and proper evaluation of policies and
programs already implemented are pre-requisite for realistic
planning.
This calls for co-ordinated
and multi-disciplinary social science research. It is also necessary
that there should be awareness among the research institutions and
researchers as to the research needs, and among policy makers and
other users of research results and what more they need to know for
policy formulation and programme development purposes.
In other words, there should
be a proper environment in which the researchers and users can
interact and develop research programs suited to the needs of the
time. But such an environment cannot be created unless there is an
institution, which performs the catalytic role in this regard. It
was this realisation that led to the creation of Bangladesh Social
Science Research Council (BSSRC) in 1976.
Since then this Council has
been at the apex of other organisations playing a catalytic role as
well as acting as the national co-ordinating body for promotion and
development of social science research in the country..