Right after Bangladesh’s independence in 1971, the higher education sector faced immense challenges, as the country emerged from a devastating war with severely damaged infrastructure, an economic crisis, and a shortage of skilled professionals. Many campuses, libraries, and research facilities were destroyed or looted during the Liberation War, and many professors, researchers, and students had been killed or displaced, and academic calendars were severely disrupted.
Due to the urgent need of nation-building and with a significant loss of faculty, researchers, and students, the focus shifted toward restoring basic education services, and research took a backseat to teaching and workforce training. The academic institutions, particularly universities, struggled to rebuild, reorganize, and redefine their roles in the newly independent nation.
The 1972 Qudrat-e-Khuda Education Commission emphasized scientific and technical education, while the 1973 University Grants Commission (UGC) Ordinance sought to regulate higher education. However, research remained underfunded and secondary to nation-building efforts.
While universities were primarily teaching-focused in the 1970s and early 1980s, some government-backed research initiatives began to take shape. Institutions like the Bangladesh Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) and Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) started receiving attention, though their impact remained limited due to funding shortages.
The 1980s saw some universities gaining more control over academic and research decisions, allowing them to expand research programs gradually. The 1992 Private University Act fueled private sector involvement, gradually expanding research capacity. From just six universities in 1971, Bangladesh now boasts 168 (53 public, 115 private) in 2024. Despite this growth, academic research still lags due to resource constraints, faculty shortages, and policy gaps.
The 1990s brought increased access to foreign funding for research, particularly in fields like agriculture, public health, and technology. However, it was only in the late 20th and early 21st centuries that academic research began to gain traction, driven by private sector involvement, international collaborations, and policy reforms.
Today, as Bangladesh progresses, the challenge remains not just increasing research output, but in ensuring its quality, impact, and alignment with national development goals.
In 2024, Bangladesh produced 15,413 indexed journal articles, ranking third in South Asia but only 54th globally. Dhaka University led with 1,500 publications, followed by Daffodil International University (1,100+) and BUET (900). Research focused on engineering, computer science, medicine, and social sciences, with textile research emerging for the first time.
However, no patents were filed, exposing weak research commercialization. With 11 of the top 15 funders being foreign, local funding remains scarce. Despite rising output, low citation impact and limited innovation highlight the need for stronger institutional backing, industry ties, and commercialization strategies.
Bangladesh’s academic growth is hampered by underfunding, policy inertia, and weak global engagement. According to World Bank (2023) data, the country invests just 0.3% of GDP in R&D, far below India (0.7%) and China (2.4%). Universities allocate barely 1% of their budgets to research, forcing faculty to prioritize teaching over innovation.
Weak industry-academia collaboration and brain drain further stifle progress, while low citation impact — BUET scoring 7.8 vs IIT Bombay’s 55.5 — limits global influence. Without urgent reforms, competitive funding, and stronger international ties, Bangladesh risks stagnation in the global research landscape.
For Bangladesh to thrive as a knowledge-driven economy, universities must transition from teaching-heavy models to research powerhouses backed by strong investment, industry collaboration, and global engagement. R&D spending must rise to at least 1% of GDP, fostering high-impact research through competitive grants.
Dedicated research centres, tenure-based incentives, and global partnerships should drive innovation, while stronger academia-industry linkages in agriculture, ICT, pharmaceuticals, and renewable energy can translate research into real-world solutions.
Retaining top talent through fellowships and postdoctoral programs, alongside enhanced international collaboration, is crucial. Investing in advanced labs, digital platforms, and faculty development will ensure globally competitive output.
An inclusive research culture — supported by scholarships, outreach, and industry linkages — must extend beyond elite institutions. With a collective effort from the government, academia, and industry, Bangladesh can position research as its greatest economic asset.
As we celebrate Independence Day, let us recognize that the next stage of our national progress will not be built on manufacturing and exports alone, but on the intellectual capital of our people. Our universities must evolve into world-class research institutions, fostering a culture where ideas take flight, problems find solutions, and knowledge fuels sustainable development.
Bangladesh is at a critical turning point, making investment in research universities not just a choice, but a strategic imperative. These institutions not only cultivate knowledge but also produce the skilled professionals required to drive innovation and economic transformation. This is the Bangladesh we must aspire to — a nation where universities are not just centres of learning, but crucibles of innovation, shaping the future for generations to come.
Dr Nusrat Hafiz is an assistant professor and director of Women Empowerment Cell, Brac University.
