About Us

WHO WE ARE

The Centre for Research and Information (CRI) is a not-for-profit policy research organization which aims to create a platform for public discussion on important matters of national policy in Bangladesh. Analyzing key challenges facing the nation, CRI explores through people-centered debate the political ideas and the policy reforms that will define progressive politics and policies in a new, digital Bangladesh. With a focus on youth engagement and democratized debate, CRI aims to bring politics closer to the people.

AIMS WE HAVE

CRI believes in the active participation of citizens in matters of national policy. By bridging the gap between people and politics, CRI hopes to empower citizens and afford them a stake in their society. The organization aims to generate high quality research and data on the opinions and views of people, especially young people in Bangladesh through creative, revolutionary methods. By doing so, the views of the people are given an unfiltered platform which can influence policy decisions on both a local and national scale.

THINGS WE DO

CRI takes a strategic approach to achieving its goals. It combines its resources and expertise with ground-breaking market research and polling aimed at various groups, especially young and student groups, to produce the following:
• High quality research into the concerns and priorities of young voters and the youth demographic in Bangladesh;
• Unique platforms for voicing the opinions of young Bangladeshis, such as Let’s Talk and Policy Café;
• Publications and blogs produced to the highest editorial, design and production standards, whether in print or digital form;
• Pioneering marketing and promotion efforts, through television, radio and social media outlets;
• Cutting-edge media and publicity efforts aimed at and, in some cases, created by and for, young people themselves

YOUTH CENTRED EVENTS

CRI believes that the young people of Bangladesh have ideas; innovative, creative ideas which can help transform Bangladesh if they are afforded the right platform. There are numerous examples of talented young people making an impact in Bangladesh, be it through social and political activities or volunteer work in the community. Yet there are many people whose voices are not yet heard. CRI sees youth participation as a vital component for the future development of the country, and believes that the young people of Bangladesh do not have to wait until later in adulthood to shape their nation. Keeping this overriding objective in mind, CRI has arranged for the following programmes specifically tailored for the youths of Bangladesh:

Let’s Talk
Let’s Ta!k provides a much-needed avenue for young people to constructively engage with Members of Parliament, ministers and other prominent politicians and debate topical issues which are of relevance to them. Through the Let’s Ta!K events, CRI helps to facilitate opportunities for informal but in-depth political dialogue among the future leaders of Bangladesh – the youth and the politicians. No topic is off the cards, there are no formalities nor are there pre-screened questions. Everything is up for discussion, and everyone is invited to share their opinion. To know more about Let’s Ta!k please click here

Policy Café
Policy Café is a forum for the youth to voice their assessments on national policy frameworks. It is an avenue of democratic exercises where every young person is expected to share his/her thoughts, opinion and ideas regarding the formulation and functioning of policies. It is a forum for the young generation to be engaged in policy discourses; simultaneously it’s a floor for them to be heard by the policy makers of the nation. It is a forum for the youth to garner their assessment on national policies, acts, ordinances and other important national instruments. It is is not an implementing agency rather it recognizes itself as an avenue of democratic exercises where every young citizen is expected to share his/her thoughts, opinion and ideas regarding policies. It is a platform for the youth to be engaged in policy discourses; simultaneously it’s a floor for them to be heard by the policy makers of the country. To know more about Let’s Ta!k please click here

CRI Junction
CRI Junction invites young poets, writers, artists, filmmakers, photographers, actors, performing artists and other cultural leaders to express their views on society and the world around them. The objective is to facilitate gatherings of young cultural groups, fuel intellectual debate and explore the various aspects of Bangali arts and culture which undoubtedly affect our nation today. Creative young minds are encouraged to share their ideas on Bangali heritage and culture and discuss how these feed into wider debates on national policy and current affairs. Topics discussed include the future profile of Bangladesh in a globalised world, Bangla language and literature, and the cross-cultural influences of the creative arts in modern Bangladesh. To know more about CRI Junction please click here

OUR CENTRAL THEME

The central theme with which CRI goes about its tasks is youth engagement. With that underlying objective in mind, CRI has created a number of unique platforms like Let’s Talk and Policy Cafe which provide youths an unprecedented opportunity to express their opinions, views, hopes and fears. CRI wants to hear what young people have to say about national policy, politics and society. When young people talk, CRI is there to listen and make the nation listen.

OUR DREAMS

The Bangladesh liberation war of 1971 was much more than a political struggle. Rather the principle struggle was a social and economic struggle to emancipate the poor and downtrodden people of Bangladesh. The idea was to create a poverty and exploitation free society. This dream, as envisioned by the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is referred as to the dream to create a “Shonar Bangla” or Golden Bangla. In the 42 years since independence, Bangladesh has come a long way in realizing that dream of creating a Golden Bangla with its remarkable advancements in a plethora of sectors indicative of social and economic progress. There is still a long way to go before that dream is considered achieved. CRI believes in promoting and engaging with programmes, organizations and individuals who share this vision of Golden Bangla.

This is the time to make sensible choices for our environment. Bangladesh is one of the countries which stand to be worst affected by global environmental damage and climate change. The forecasted sea-level rise of one meter before the end of the century could permanently displace more than 30-million people in Bangladesh. Although Bangladesh has done little to contribute to this – after all, the country’s carbon emissions per capita is one of the lowest in the world – CRI believes that the time is right for the country to engage in green policies which will ensure the safety and security of future generations. Proactivity from a developing country like Bangladesh will also encourage more developed nations to play their due role in this emerging trend to safeguard the environment. CRI believes in promoting and engaging with programmes, organizations and individuals who share this vision of Green Bangla.

Bangladeshi people are known for their spirit, their happiness and their sense of national unity. CRI wishes to see a country which is unified across society, in which no groups or individuals are marginalized due to religion, gender, ethnicity, group or class. Increasing social mobility and distribution of wealth, closing the gap on gender disparity and creating equal opportunities for all – these are the things that need to be done in order to create a unified society. We want to see a country where people would be united while taking a decision of policy making; we want to see unity in case of national economic development; we want to see unity in implementation of national, cultural and citizen issues. Ethnic rights should be preserved and minorities of the society should get all facilities without any discrimination. We want to promote diversity of opinion from every class, group, cast and ethnicity. CRI believes in promoting and engaging with programmes, organizations and individuals who share this vision of United Bangla.

The young people of Bangladesh hold the key to the nation’s future. They have innovative ideas, and have the ability to move away from the status quo and create a future which is not governed by what is easy, but what is right. They risked their lives at the forefront of our language movement in the lead up to the liberation war and gradually youths turn into the change agents whose stubborn idealism shapes the future of the country. CRI sees youth participation as a vital component for the future development of the country. CRI’s Youth engagement programmes such as Let’s Talk, Policy Café and CRI Junction aim to give young people the right platform through which their ideas can be heard. CRI believes in promoting and engaging with programmes, organizations and individuals who share this vision of Young Bangla.

The current government pledged in the last election to create a technologically advanced “Digital Bangladesh”. The past few years have seen improvements in numerous sectors related to science and technology, including information and communications technology (ICT). Consequently, people of Bangladesh now have access to information on an unprecedented scale. However, more remains to be done. Technological and scientific advancements have been proven as prerequisites to competing in an ever more globalized world. A technologically advanced Bangladesh would allow innovators and entrepreneurs the opportunity to pursue their dreams. The nation as a whole needs to support the innovators and innovation, so that new technologies, goods and services can evolve at a faster rate. Internet, communication and solutions for sufficient energy are pre-requisites for country’s technology base, development and innovation. CRI believes in promoting and engaging with programmes, organizations and individuals who share this vision of Tech Bangla.

CRI LOOKING AHEAD

Centre for Research and Information (CRI) conducts detailed research on national development issues and undertakes in-depth case studies in sectors of national economy. The organisation disseminates information which are of national, economic and social interest among the general public of the nation. We undertake research tasks on national economy, policy development, economic development and social uniformity. Our numerous types of studies, publications and research materials on contemporary issues are kept under archive and available for use by the public.

A key aim of CRI is to encourage and strengthen democratic process in Bangladesh. All existing programmes incorporate this, and CRI will continue to develop programmes which work to cement democracy in Bangladesh.
> Democracy Scale
> Youth Democracy Fellowship