Researchers & officials

Executive Director

Md. Mamun-Ur-Rashid is the Executive Director of Development Research Initiative (dRi) and a distinguished senior-level mixed-method research expert with a remarkable career spanning over two decades in the realm of social research. His profound expertise encompasses the intricate domains of research plan design, research instrument development, and adept coordination of field research initiatives.He has led and contributed to a wide range of assignments, including situation analyses, needs assessments, baseline studies, mid-term evaluations, and impact assessments of development programs.

His work spans all districts of Bangladesh, including socially and politically sensitive areas such as Cox’s Bazar and Narayanganj, hard-to-reach regions like Barguna, Patuakhali, Khulna, and Rangamati, as well as urban low-income settlements in Dhaka, Chittagong, and Comilla.His professional specialization covers gender and inequality, poverty and vulnerability, public health, food security, urban challenges, climate change, livelihoods, and social safety nets. He has collaborated with leading academic institutions, including BRAC University, the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), and the University of Manchester, as well as international and national development partners such as the World Bank, World Food Program (WFP), Oxfam, BRAC, and the Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD).

Head of Research and Operations

Anindya Barai studied Anthropology at Jahangirnagar University and have competitive experience and skill in mix-method research. He has experience in quantitative and qualitative research design, tool development, field management, data processing and analysis, writing research reports. He has more than 8 years of experience in social research including human rights, refugee situation, social safety-net issues, public health, nutrition, gender and women empowerment, education, urban poverty etc. He started working in social development research with BRAC University (BRAC Institute of Global Health) as Assistant Researcher. He is currently working as “Coordinator; Research, Innovation and Knowledge Management” at dRi and for dRi he had the opportunity to work with various national and international organizations such as The World Bank, WFP, UNDP, UNHCR, Save the Children, IFPRI, World Fish, University of Amsterdam, BRAC, Oxford Policy Management and other organizations.

As Head of Research and Operations, he manages large-scale research projects, ensures operational excellence, and promotes innovative research approaches. He leads research design and methodology, oversees data processing and analysis, and coordinates dRi’s research projects to ensure high-quality and impactful outcomes.

Senior Research Associate – II

Shameem Reza Khan is an expert in mix-method research and has a Master’s degree in Anthropology from Jahangirnagar University. He is currently working as a Research Associate-II at dRi and is widely experienced in quantitative and qualitative research tool development and field management. His expertise includes data processing, analysis and producing final reports for the study. He has almost 14 years of research experience in social research with special focus on challenging and often sensitive issues that include policing, climate change and local adaptation strategies, migration, education, gender, women empowerment, urban poverty, food security, legal issues and social safety-net. On each of these issues, he had the opportunity to work both at the policy level as well as the implementation level in Bangladesh. He has a long experience of working with people from diverse backgrounds and perceptions that has enhanced his ability to work with and manage multicultural teams. His professional and academic background has afforded him the opportunity to become familiar with the consolidated and unconsolidated challenges of development sector. He has worked with many national and international NGOs and research organizations such as, Save the Children, icddrb, BRAC, BRAC Development Institute (BDI), Plan International Bangladesh, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), The Asia Foundation, GIZ, World Vision and other organizations. His vision is to continue working in development programs, primarily focusing on facilitating expansion and adaptation of interventions to better address the needs of groups and communities.

Research Associate – I

Md. Moniruzzaman has graduated with a Master’s in Bangla and is experienced in mix-method research. With over 8 years of experience in research activities, he is skilled in quantitative and qualitative research tools development, field management, data processing and analysis, qualitative and quantitative data collection, monitoring and supervising research team and ensuring data quality. He worked in the fields of nutrition, women empowerment, urban poverty, climate change and local adaptation strategies, food security and social safety-net. He worked in many projects of donor agencies including BRAC University, Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Manchester, World Bank, World Food Program (WFP), International Organization for Migration (IOM), Save the Children and other local and international organizations. Currently he is working as Research Associate-1 at dRi.

Research Associate-II

Md. Kamrul Hasan has a Master degree in Anthropology from Dept. of Anthropology, Jahangirnagar University. He worked at Data Analysis and Technical Assistance (DATA) and currently working at Development Research Initiative (dRi). He is an expert in mix-method research. He is a development researcher with hands on experience on quantitative and qualitative research tool development, training the research team, coordinating organizational activities; field work/data collection, field management, supervising the research team, implementing Resettlement Action Plan, developing ODK, data processing and analysis, producing final reports and presenting the findings in an articulated way. He has 08 years of research experience in social research including public health, nutrition, gender and women empowerment, urban poverty, child rights, climate change and local adaptation strategies, food security, social safety-net issues and Microfinance. He also has experience of collecting and supervising phone-based data collection. He has experience of writing Ethnography as well.

Research Associate – I

Dipanjan Sidhanta has a Master’s degree in Anthropology. He is currently working as a Research Associate-Iat dRi. His 5 years of working experience in research works includes both quantitative and qualitative research tool development, field management, data processing and analysis, transcribing, translating and producing final reports. Sidhanta holds excellent research potential and ability to actively contribute to the research projects goals. He is able to interact with all researchers in a constructive, creative and professional manner during the processing, storing and logging process. Beside working as a research assistant, Sidhanta worked as the co-ordinator of ProChESTA (Promoting Childhood Education for Sustainable and Transformational Achievements), a sister concern of Development Research Initiative (dRi) from 2017 to 2018.