Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies

What Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies does

Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) is a Dhaka-based, government-affiliated nonprofit research institute that conducts development economics research, policy analysis, sector studies, and impact evaluations. It primarily serves Bangladesh's government ministries, planning bodies, international development organizations, and academic institutions. Its work spans agriculture and rural development, general economics, industry and physical infrastructure, human resources, and population studies, and includes research used in national planning and donor-supported programs.

BIDS's documented outputs include peer-reviewed journals, monographs, research reports, policy briefs, discussion and working papers, books, newsletters, public-lecture materials, and biennial reports. It also operates the Masters in Development Economics program and the Annual BIDS Conference on Development. Its documented technology profile is not software-oriented: the core capability is research methodology and institutional research assets, with no disclosed software platform, API, proprietary model, or artificial-intelligence product.

The institute's revenue mechanisms are Government of Bangladesh core funding, sponsored research, and publication sales. Publications carry unit prices ranging from Tk. 30 to Tk. 1,000, and many are available as free PDF downloads. Research is disseminated through journals, the BIDS website, seminars, conferences, public lectures, newsletters, and direct engagement with policymakers and development practitioners.

Name

Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies

Legal name

Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies

Website

https://bids.org.bd

Company type

Private

Founded year

1932

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies is a Dhaka-based nonprofit research institute serving Bangladesh’s government, international development organizations, and academia through policy studies, impact evaluations, publications, development-economics training, and regular stakeholder events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Development Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

International Affairs (9721), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning (MERL) (BPADAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Economic Growth, Trade & Private Sector Development Programs (BPADABAF), Development Cooperation & Foreign Aid Administration (BPAIAIAG), Country Development Assistance Programs (Bilateral ODA) (BPADABAA), Program & Project Implementation (TA Delivery) (BPADAEAA)

Keywords

• Development research
• Policy analysis
• Economic consulting
• Social science research
• Public policy research

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Core Funding: BIDS operates as an autonomous government research institute receiving core funding from the Government of Bangladesh for conducting development research and policy studies.
2. Sponsored Research: BIDS conducts funded research for international development organizations including ADB, World Bank, IFPRI, UNICEF, and various government ministries. Projects include labor market analyses, food policy research, health sector evaluations, and structural transformation studies.
3. Publication Sales: BIDS sells publications including monographs, research reports, books, and journals at various price points in Bangladesh Taka and USD. Publications are available for purchase with pricing ranging from Tk. 30 to Tk. 1,000 depending on publication type.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) is a government-affiliated socio-economic research institute that conducts development economics research, policy analysis, and impact evaluation studies for Bangladesh and international development partners. It disseminates findings through peer-reviewed journals (Bangladesh Development Studies and Bangladesh Unnayan Somikkha), monographs, research reports, policy briefs, discussion and working papers, books, newsletters, and the Masters in Development Economics postgraduate program, alongside hosting the Annual BIDS Conference on Development (ABCD).

Product overview

Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) operates as a premier public research institute rather than a product company. Its offerings consist primarily of research publications and academic programs. The core portfolio includes two peer-reviewed journals (BDS and Bangladesh Unnayan Somikkha), a comprehensive Monograph Series covering development economics topics, Policy Briefs for policymakers, Research Reports, Discussion Papers, Working Papers, Newsletters, Books, Public Lecture Series, and Biennial Reports. Additionally, BIDS offers the Masters in Development Economics (MDE) postgraduate program and organizes the Annual BIDS Conference on Development (ABCD). These publications and programs work together to disseminate research findings and foster academic discourse on Bangladesh's development challenges.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Masters in Development Economics (MDE): Postgraduate academic program offered by BIDS
• Annual BIDS Conference on Development (ABCD)
• Bangladesh Development Studies (BDS)
• Bangladesh Unnayan Somikkha

Products and services

• Bangladesh Development Studies (BDS) Journal

Quantifiable outcome

• Research informing 6th and 7th Five Year Plan background papers
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 July 2025BIDS and PKSF signed an MoU to strengthen research and knowledge sharing on poverty alleviation, microfinance, and rural development programs in Bangladesh.
• East West University (EWU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBIDS and East West University's Department of Economics signed an MoU to strengthen academic and research collaboration, facilitating joint research initiatives, faculty exchanges, and student engagement in development research.
• Bangladesh Computer Council (BCI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoU signed between BIDS and BCI for research and advocacy on industrial development, focusing on digital transformation of manufacturing and industrial sectors.
• IFPRI (International Food Policy Research Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBIDS collaborates with IFPRI on food policy research under the Bangladesh Integrated Food Policy Research Program, involving storage logistics, market analysis, and capacity strengthening themes.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Brookings Institution: Brookings is a globally established think tank with a significant development economics program. While much broader in scope than BIDS, it competes for the same international donor attention and produces overlapping development policy research that informs Bangladesh-related policy debates.
• World Bank Development Research Group: The World Bank's Development Research Group is a major funder and peer of BIDS, producing socio-economic research that overlaps with BIDS's mandate. While it operates globally and is a key sponsor of BIDS research, it also produces competing analysis on Bangladesh's development.
• Institute of Development Studies (IDS), UK: IDS is a globally established development research and teaching institute at the University of Sussex. While based in the UK, it is comparable to BIDS in its development economics research, postgraduate teaching (similar to MDE), and policy advisory focus across developing countries.

Regional players

• Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER): ICRIER is an India-based policy think tank conducting economic policy research with a regional and international focus. It is comparable to BIDS in mandate and methodology but operates primarily in India rather than Bangladesh.
• Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE): PIDE is Pakistan's government-affiliated development economics research institute with a comparable structure to BIDS, including a research mandate, publications, and training programs. It is a South Asian regional peer operating in a similar policy research space.
• Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS): IPS Sri Lanka is a South Asian think tank focused on economic policy research. While smaller in scale than BIDS, it operates in a comparable regional development research space with similar publication, policy brief, and advisory outputs.

Direct peers

• International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI): IFPRI is a direct peer and active collaborator of BIDS, conducting policy-relevant food and agricultural research globally with a Bangladesh country program. It partners with BIDS on the Bangladesh Integrated Food Policy Research Program and shares a comparable socio-economic research mandate.
• Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), Bangladesh: CPD is Bangladesh's leading independent think tank and the most direct domestic peer to BIDS. It conducts policy research on trade, macroeconomics, and development, and competes with BIDS for government advisory roles and donor research commissions in Bangladesh.
• Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS): PIDS is the Philippines' government-affiliated socio-economic policy research institute with a comparable structure to BIDS — government-funded, multi-division, produces policy briefs, working papers, and journals, and serves as the country's primary development research body.
• National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), India: NCAER is India's premier economic policy research institute with a mandate similar to BIDS — conducting socio-economic research, publishing policy studies, and advising government on economic planning. It is a comparable South Asian development research institute.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bangladesh-institute-of-development-studies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies