Researchers and experts yesterday launched a new platform named "Bangladesh Development Insights (BDI)" to promote evidence-based policy formation in Bangladesh.

The platform wants to hold inclusive dialogues to form impactful policies addressing Bangladesh's evolving needs.

The BDI also aims to reduce the gap between research and policymaking in Bangladesh, reaching both the decision-makers and the general mass who can benefit from expert insights.

In this regard, 10 founding members of the platform launched a website named "bdevinsights.com" at a programme at the Bishwo Shahitto Kendro in the capital.

The platform will offer articles, literature reviews, podcasts, videos, and more to share key insights from the latest research and bring them into public discussions about Bangladesh's future, according to the founding members.

The Bangladesh Development Insights platform will also address some critical issues such as gender dynamics and women's participation in the labour market; climate resilience and sustainable development practices and education reforms and skill developments etc.

The Bangladesh Development Insights (BDI) is not just a platform, it is a movement to ensure that decisions are informed by robust evidence, empowering stakeholders across sectors to shape a brighter future, said Asad Islam, professor of economics at Monash University, one of the founders.

"Another founder, Abu Parves Shonchoy from Florida International University, stated that this platform aims to make research actionable, ensuring that evidence informs decisions not only at the policy level but also at the grassroots."

"Together, we aim to bridge the gap between research and practice," he added.

Rubaiya Murshed, a founder and a lecturer of economics at the University of Dhaka, said, "Evidence isn't just a tool for policymakers—it's a promise to the people."

"It ensures that decisions are not driven by assumptions or guesswork but by what works, for whom, and under what circumstances. Let us make evidence-based policymaking the norm, not the exception, for a smarter, stronger, and more prosperous Bangladesh."

Among others, Towfiqul Islam Khan, a senior research fellow at Center for Policy Dialogue; Mehrab Bakhtiar, research fellow of the International Food Policy Research Institute; Wameq Raza, senior health specialist of the World Bank, and Adnan Fakir, associate professor at Sussex in the UK, also spoke at the event.