Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) is an independent, non-profit, non-government, policy, research, and implementation institute working on sustainable development (SD) at local, national, regional and global levels. BCAS addresses sustainable development through four interactive themes: (a) environment-development integration, (b) good governance and people’s participation, (c) poverty alleviation and sustainable livelihoods, and (d) economic growth and public-private partnership. It was established in 1986, and over the years has grown to become a leading institute in the non-government sector in Bangladesh and South Asia. It works on the above issues using interactive approaches and multiple methodologies. BCAS has been registered with Social Welfare Department as well as NGO Affairs Bureau of Government of Bangladesh.
At present BCAS has over hundred full-time and some part-time staff working in different capacities. It has a core active management unit guided by a board of directors. BCAS has two dozens of senior professionals and scientists, more than three dozens of mid-level professionals and researchers. It has ten active divisions working on Natural Resources Management (NRM), Environment and Development, Renewable and Conventional Energy, Social and Economic Issues, Trade and Sustainable Development, Livelihoods and Poverty Reduction Strategies, Global Change and Human Dimensions, Policy Analysis and training, Governance and Advocacy, Publication and Outreach.
Knowledge Integration for Sustainable Development
Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) is a knowledge based institution. One of its key product is a series of publications. Over the years BCAS has recognized that for effective implementation of sustainable development policies, plans, programme, projects as well as rights and advocacy, the scientific knowledge behind each action must be appropriate and based on sound methodologies.
From its inception BCAS committed itself to develop good publications, become a centre of excellence of knowledge management in sustainable development, integrating environment and development, natural management sustainable livelihoods, good governance, global - local linkages in decision making and conflict resolution
Though the focused geographical courage in Bangladesh and South Asia, BCAS works and publishes all over the world.
Over the years BCAS has published over 50 books, many reports and monographs, several newsletters and hundreds of scientific publications in journals and books.
BCAS has a general policy of maximizing communication of knowledge and experiential gains to the wider range of people. Though most of the publications are in English, there are quite a few publications in Bangla. There are very few BCAS programmes and projects which have dedicated funds and allocation for publications. But almost every programme and project is encouraged to bring out their output in some form of publication and put into the public domain as books, reports, monographs, articles or website content.
Science-Policy-People
It has been often seen that the scientific knowledge dominated by paradigm of science need better understanding explanation and communication. Further, much of the scientific knowledge is in disciplinary context and often compartmentalized. Thus BCAS operates in the relationship between Science-Policy-People as the critical nexus of sustainable development.
Importance of Local Knowledge
Peoples knowledge and experiential knowledge of local communities has much to contribute to the successful implementation of the sustainable development efforts. But there is an urgent need to integrate the dominant theoretical, analytical and applied knowledge represented by Cartesian scientific approach and the experiential knowledge of peoples and communities. Thus BCAS often works in the interface between “scientific” knowledge and “peoples” knowledge.
Integrating Knowledge at Different Levels of Decision Making
BCAS has also recognized that sustainable development decision making takes place at different levels from individuals and local communities (micro level), sub national ecosystem, planning administrative units based (meso level), national level (macro/ multi country regional level (super macro- semi mega) or at international and global levels (mega level). Knowledge of information developed at different levels need to be integrated to make knowledge useful and effective.
Integrating, Multi Level Decision Making
Eco-specific Participatory Management
Over the years BCAS has learnt that one of the best, most effective and successful approaches to understand and implement environment-development activities with particular emphasis on poverty alleviation, is to adopt the principle the methodology of Eco-specific. Participatory Management, VCAS has developed, improved and successfully implemented several policies, programmes and projects using this approach. In this approach communities are engaged and involved in defining the problems, identifying root causes, suggesting solutions, identifying actors to solve the problem and also encourages communities to volunteer to take actions attributed to them in a participatory way. The focus is often on an ecosystem or a defined and confined geographical or policy domain with clear objectives.
BCAS has been using this approach quite successfully at the different level of decision making indicated above.
Vision
BCAS envisions to promote people-centred sustainable development by applying and advancing scientific, technical and local knowledge through research, by developing models, demonstration, policy advocacy and project implementation. To achieve the goal, BCAS gives great importance to integration of environment and development, promoting people’s participation and good governance, encouraging rapid economic growth, and facilitating public-private partnership for poverty alleviation and sustainable livelihoods. BCAS is committed to develop southern perspectives, ensure north-south dialogue and environmental justice and access to resources and knowledge for the poor.
Mission
BCAS believes that exchange of knowledge and people’s wisdom are the most cost effective agents to bring about changes for sustainable development. Maximizing knowledge among different actors and stakeholders, generation of innovative ideas and approaches adaptive to socio-cultural, economic, and bio-physical systems and, initiation of community actions through participatory research and effective policy advocacy can promote people-centred sustainable development for local, national, regional and international communities. Following are the key missions of the institute:
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to develop ideas and models aiming at resource management, environment and development as an approach towards sustainable development;
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to ensure people’s and community participation in planning, implementation and management of resources to enhance resilience of natural and human system;
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to direct and formulate policy and programmes through gathering and updating information and knowledge by empirical researches and actions;
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to undertake collaborative research with scientists in both national and international organizations to share knowledge, innovation and experience;
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to motivate and facilitate private sectors in cleaner production, pollution management, sustainable trade for improving inner and outer environmental conditions;
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to strengthen and build capacity of civil society, private and public sectors in the areas of natural resource management, environment, trade, human resource development and sustainable development through enhancing knowledge and access to resources;
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to provide advise to various agencies and departments of the Government of Bangladesh, development partners and international institutions on NRM, SD, energy, Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), environment and poverty;
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to upgrade public awareness and influence policy decisions through information dissemination, policy dialogue, lobbying, networking,training, workshop, seminar and symposium etc.;
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to bring out publications including books, newsletters and monographs and to disseminate the results and findings of various research and initiatives;
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to undertake inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary research activities using a series of methodologies.
Field of Specialization
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Natural resource management (land, water, fisheries, forestry, agriculture and biodiversity)
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Enhance resilience of natural and human systems
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Livelihood analysis, poverty reduction strategy and food security
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People’s participation, consensus building and conflict resolution
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Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) and Participatory Learning and Action (PLA)
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Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Social Impact Assessment (SIA)
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Clean technology and pollution management
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Energy (conventional and renewable)
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Environmental education and health
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Public-private partnership
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Global climate change, and human dimension of global change
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Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs)
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Trade, environment and sustainable development
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Social justice, equity and fairness
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Good Governance and Policy Advocacy