Formulation of National Policy on Social Science Research

For last one and half-a-decade both government as well as the social scientist of Bangladesh were expressing the urgent need for the formulation of a national policy on social science research. The Council organised series of meetings at this end and prepared a draft on the national policy which was circulated to 200 institutions and persons engaged in social science research and its application. In the light of the comments and suggestions made by them preparation of the final draft on the policy has already been completed. By the year 2004 it would be submitted before  the competent authority for final approval.

Training in Research Methodology: 

This Council in collaboration with Bureau of Economic Research, University of Dhaka, Department of Sociology, University of Rajshahi, University of Khulna and Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development, Comilla is striving to impart training in research methodology in the social science disciplines at the post-graduate stages. It also organise refresher courses for the college teachers who are primarily engaged in teaching in social science subjects. So far 20 Courses have been sponsored by this council and the number of persons attended this courses is around 800.

Organisation and Holding of National Seminars, Workshop, Conferences

This Council since its inception has been organising series of Seminar, Workshop and Conferences on different issues of National importance with a particular emphasis on the areas of social science research and its application. The most important amongst them can be mentioned here as under:

• Workshop on Tasks and Challenges for the Social Sciences in the 1980s.

• National Training Seminar on Social Science Research Methodology.

• National Seminar on Development and Culture Interface: Cultural Perspectives on Economic Progress

• National Seminar on Social Development: Bangladesh Perspective.

• National Seminar on Local Impact of Global Transformation with Special Reference to Social Development: Bangladesh Perspective.

• National Seminar on Environment and Sustainable Development: The Social Science Perspective.

• National Seminar on Social Science Information and Documentation Process and Their Utilization System in Bangladesh.

• National Seminar on Role of Social-Work Education in the Socio-Economic Development of Bangladesh

• National Seminar on Social Polarization and Its Impact on the Development of Bangladesh.

• National Round Table Conference on Decay of Social Values in Bangladesh: Roots, Causes and Nature.

• National Workshop on The Draft of the Fifth Five Year Plan 1997-2002

• National Seminar on Follow-up of World Social Summit in Bangladesh: Agenda and Actions by the Year 2000.

• National Seminar on Applicability of Social Science Research Findings: Problems and Prospects.

• National Workshop on Objectives and Strategies for the Fifth Five year Plan 1997-2002.

• National Workshop on Objectives and Strategies Adopted for the Agriculture Sector under the Fifth Five year Plan 1997-2002.

Compilation of National Register of Social Scientists in Bangladesh 

The council is now busy to compile the National Register of Social Scientists in Bangladesh. A sub-committee, set up by the council and headed by the Member, Socio-economic Infrastructure Division, Planning Commission has already worked all the details in this regard. It is proposed to complete this register by the year, 2004.

Directory of Social Science Research Organisations in Bangladesh 

The Council regularly publishes Directory of Social Science Research Organisations in Bangladesh. The directory furnishes all information regarding name, address, contact telephone/e-mail/fax number of the organisations including their functions, recent research publications, on-going research, future plan of research, particular of chief researchers including brief resume of their professional qualification.     

National Annotated Bibliography on Social Science Research Work: 

This Council is regularly publishing different series of National Annotated Bibliography on Social Science Research Work in Bangladesh. This bibliography normally covers following areas of social sciences. 

• Economics, Trade and Banking;

• Agricultural Economics, Environment and Sociology;

• Women in Development, Population Control and Health and Nutrition; and

• Public Administration, Management, Education, History, Communication and Geography.

Documentation Centre 

During January, 1988 a Documentation centre was established under this Council. So far 7,000 research/documents on social science and related areas have been preserved in this Centre those are being used by the researchers, academics as well as bureaucrats on regular basis.

Programmes which have not received adequate attention so far 

There are some important programmes to which the Council has not yet been able to give adequate attention. These include:

(a)   Utilization of social science research; and

(b)   Improvement in the use of advance techniques in storing and diffusing data and information and its more intensive utilization.

In order to overcome above limitations as has been mentioned earlier, this council is exploring different potential sources of funding so that appropriate measures can be initiated at this end.