Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies

What Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies does

Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) is an independent, non-profit, non-government policy, research, and implementation institute founded in 1986 and headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It conducts action research, policy analysis, and development project implementation across four broad themes: environment-development integration, good governance and people's participation, poverty alleviation and sustainable livelihoods, and economic growth and public-private partnership. BCAS serves national and local governments, international development organizations, and vulnerable communities in Bangladesh and South Asia, and is widely credited as the pioneer of the Community Based Adaptation (CBA) concept in global climate discourse.

The organization operates a service portfolio anchored in Geographic Information System (GIS), Remote Sensing (RS) and Modeling, and a Library GI Information Centre, which together support research outputs in environmental governance, climate change adaptation and mitigation, natural resource management, integrated water resource management, clean technology, and sustainable energy. It has implemented over 50 projects of varying sizes spanning environmental impact assessment, energy efficiency, water and sanitation, climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and livelihood promotion.

BCAS is funded primarily through project-based grants from international development partners and donor agencies, including DFID, UNEP, ADB, and IIED. It reaches stakeholders through international conferences (notably the annual CBA conference series co-hosted with IIED London and the International Conference on Climate Finance), workshops, training programs, policy dialogues, and publications including books, newsletters, and policy briefs. Executive Director Dr. Atiq Rahman and Chairman Saleemul Huq are globally recognized figures in sustainable development, with BCAS-linked work contributing to the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (Nobel Peace Prize 2007) and the UN Champions of the Earth 2008 award.

Name

Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies

Legal name

Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies

Website

https://bcas.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) is a Dhaka-based non-profit research institute founded in 1986 that conducts policy analysis, action research, and project implementation on climate change adaptation, environmental governance, and sustainable development for governments, donors, and vulnerable communities in South Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Sustainable Development Consulting

NAICS

Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Crisis Management, Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery Planning (BCP/DR) (EUAHALAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Nature & Biodiversity Reporting (TNFD, natural capital) (EUAHAJAM)

Keywords

• Policy research services
• Climate change adaptation
• Sustainable development consulting
• Environmental governance research
• Community based adaptation

Headquarters

HQ city

Dhaka

HQ country

Bangladesh

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Development Partner Funding: As a non-profit research institute, BCAS operates primarily through funding from international development partners, donor agencies, and governments. They have implemented over 50 projects of various sizes in environment-impact assessment, energy efficiency, water supply and sanitation, climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and livelihood promotions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

BCAS delivers policy analysis, action research, and project implementation services for sustainable development, with a focus on climate change adaptation, environmental governance, natural resource management, and community-based adaptation. It also provides technical support services including Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Remote Sensing and Modeling, and access to a specialized library and information centre. The institute engages with governments, development partners, and vulnerable communities through research projects, publications, and international conferences.

Product overview

BCAS is a non-profit research institute offering a portfolio of services including Geographic Information System (GIS), Remote Sensing and Modeling, and Library GI Information Centre. These services support its core research programs in environmental governance, climate change adaptation, natural resource management, and sustainable development across local, national, regional, and global levels. The organization operates under four broad thematic areas: environment-development integration, good governance and people's participation, poverty alleviation and sustainable livelihoods, and economic growth and public-private partnership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Geographic Information System (GIS) Services Spatial data analysis and mapping services for environmental and development research, supporting BCAS's work in climate change, natural resource management, and sustainable development.
• Remote Sensing (RS) and Modeling Remote sensing and modeling services for environmental monitoring, climate analysis, and natural resource assessment, including geospatial modeling for temperature and rainfall pattern analysis.
• Library GI Information Centre Specialized library and geographic information centre providing access to publications and research materials supporting BCAS's sustainable development research activities.
• Policy Research and Action Research Projects Project-based policy research, action research, and implementation studies across environmental governance, climate change adaptation and mitigation, integrated water resource management, renewable and sustainable energy, natural resource management, and sustainable livelihoods for governments and development partners.
• Books and Research Publications Books, policy briefs, articles, and newsletters on climate change, environmental management, and sustainable development available for purchase or distribution to researchers, policymakers, and the public.
• International Conferences and Workshops Organization of major annual conferences including the International Conference on Climate Finance (ICCF), Community Based Adaptation (CBA) conferences, and Climate Change Adaptation Policy & Science (CCAPS) conferences, along with training programs and policy dialogues.

Quantifiable outcome

• Led the establishment of Community Based Adaptation (CBA) as a core concept in global climate discourse

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and significant.

• IIED (International Institute for Environment and Development), LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBCAS along with IIED London initiated the international conference on Community Based Adaptation (CBA), a major annual event. They collaborate on research projects, climate change adaptation initiatives, and knowledge sharing platforms.
• UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating center for Global Environment Outlook publications, contributing to international environmental assessments and reports.
• Asian Development BankmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on ALGAS (Asia Least-Cost Greenhouse Gas Abatement Strategy) project contributing to climate change mitigation analysis.
• University of Leeds, UKsignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for research on floodplain livelihoods, water resource management, and environmental studies.
• World Resources Institute (WRI)significantStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on environmental training materials and publications including 'Amader Poribesh Our Environment' training manual.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Centre for Science and Environment (CSE): India-based non-profit think tank working on environment, climate, and sustainable development with comparable policy research, publications, and training programs serving South Asian stakeholders.
• International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD): Regional intergovernmental research center working on environment, climate adaptation, and livelihoods across South Asia's mountain regions, comparable in mandate, donor-funded model, and policy research scope to BCAS.
• International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED): UK-based policy research organization that co-initiated the Community Based Adaptation (CBA) conference series with BCAS and collaborates on adaptation research. Closest direct peer given joint convening role and shared thematic focus on sustainable development.
• Practical Action: International non-profit working on sustainable development, climate adaptation, and livelihoods in developing countries including South Asia. Comparable donor-funded model, research-to-implementation pipeline, and stakeholder segments.
• The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI): India-based non-profit research institute focused on energy, environment, and sustainable development with comparable scale, multidisciplinary structure, policy advisory role, and donor-funded project model.
• Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN): Global network focused on climate-compatible development research and policy advisory in developing countries. Directly comparable as a DFID-funded climate adaptation knowledge intermediary with overlapping geographic focus.

Broad incumbents

• IUCN Asia Regional Office: Global conservation organization with regional presence in Asia working on environmental governance, climate adaptation, and natural resource management. Comparable in policy advisory role and donor-funded programmatic model across the region.
• World Resources Institute (WRI): Global environmental research organization that has collaborated with BCAS on environmental training materials. Larger scale global incumbent with overlapping climate, environment, and sustainable development research portfolio.

Regional players

• BRAC Research and Evaluation Division: Bangladesh-headquartered development organization with major research and program implementation capacity in climate adaptation, livelihoods, and sustainable development. Regional peer with overlapping Bangladesh-based operations and donor ecosystem.
• Climate Action Network South Asia: Regional coalition of civil society organizations working on climate change policy and advocacy across South Asia. Comparable as a regional climate-focused network with overlapping stakeholder base and policy dialogue function.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CentreBcas
• Facebookfacebook.com/Bangladesh-Centre-for-Advanced-Studies-1201000569972747
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bangladesh-centre-for-advanced-studies-bcas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies