Grantee: Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD)
Grant period: January 2025 – October 2026
Country of focus: Bangladesh
FutureWORKS Asia is part of a global initiative supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada, dedicated to addressing the evolving challenges in the world of work across the Global South. As the Asian arm of this global network, FutureWORKS Asia is led by LIRNEasia and focuses on fostering high-quality, innovative, and gender-responsive research to shape the future of work in the region. Between 2023 and 2028, FutureWORKS Asia will award research grants and build a regional research network to generate actionable insights and influence policy. The first grant cycle is currently underway, with five projects selected to conduct pioneering research to explore key labormarket trends, technological advancements, and socio-economic shifts to ensure inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) has been selected to conduct an 18-month research and advocacy project, Life After Life: Future of Work in Bangladesh.
The project examine’s Bangladesh’s workforce is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by technological advancements, climate change, and shifting global trade dynamics, among other factors. However, youth — particularly women — and other marginalised groups, such as people with disabilities (PWDs), continue to face persistent structural barriers and limited policy support, leaving them unprepared for the future. This study, “Life After Life: Future of Work in Bangladesh,” addresses these issues by adopting an integrated foresight approach to develop alternative scenarios of decent work and employment by 2035.
Broadly, the approach involves horizon scanning and engaging key stakeholders through iterative rounds of consultations to identify key trends, weak signals of change and requisite policy actions for each future scenario.
By combining evidence-based insights with participatory methods, the project aims to equip policymakers, businesses, and labour groups with actionable tools to navigate future challenges and advocate for an inclusive, “future-proof” workforce. The project’s findings will be disseminated nationally and globally to ensure effective policy uptake.
This project is one of the five grantees selected under the first cycle of FutureWORKS Asia, a research initiative funded by IDRC and led by LIRNEasia, a pro-poor, pro-market think tank specializing in digital infrastructure and policy research. LIRNEasia’s work focuses on leveraging digital technology to enhance knowledge, information access, and economic opportunities, particularly for underserved communities.
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Research objectives
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Methodology
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Grantee information
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Research Team
- Exploring gaps in existing evidence and identifying weak signals of change
- What are the global and national trends shaping the future of decent work in Bangladesh?
- What could be the alternative scenarios for decent work for women, youth, and people with disabilities?
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Examining policy challenges and articulating relevant policy choices
- What national policies are needed to build a future-proof workforce?
- What are the potential synergies and trade-offs in shaping the future of work?
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Engaging key stakeholders to identify intervention areas
- How can Bangladesh improve workforce adaptability considering technological, climatic, and demographic shifts?
- What roles do different stakeholders play in shaping the future of work?
The study employs an integrated foresight approach that involves:
Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), established in 1993, is a leading think tank in Bangladesh dedicated to fostering inclusive policymaking through research, dialogue, and advocacy. CPD promotes equitable, just, and accountable development while enhancing regional and global economic integration for Bangladesh’s sustainable growth and good governance.
The research team at CPD will be led by Dr. Debapriya Bhattacharya, Distinguished Fellow at CPD, who will oversee the project's implementation. Supporting him will be Mr. Towfiqul Islam Khan, Senior Research Fellow, who will manage research activities and outputs.
Other key team members include: