CPD considers establishment of domestic ownership over development agenda to be one of the most important prerequisites for successful implementation of policy reforms and good governance in the context of Bangladesh. CPD is of the opinion that proactive engagement of the civil society and stakeholders in the process of policy design and implementation could pay high dividends in terms of successfully addressing the developmental challenges in Bangladesh. Bangladesh’s major documents that review periodic economic performance include the World Bank’s Country Economic Memorandum (CEM), the response of the GOB to the CEM, and GOB’s Annual Economic Survey. However, the task of designing an endogenously derived independent review of Bangladesh’s developmental efforts demands much more. Such a review, which is governed neither by the need for self-validation, nor by the delimiting perspective of the CEM, was a novel idea in Bangladesh when it was first floated by the CPD in 1993 for bringing out IRBD. It was also a time when the civil society in Bangladesh was gradually beginning to emerge as a force to reckon with after decade long military rule. The emergent civil society also needed to make its presence felt by putting forward alternative policy suggestions. CPD accepted the challenge of preparing such an Independent Review of Bangladesh’s Development (IRBD) every year. It was decided at the very beginning that the underlying vision, design and execution of the IRBD would remain, from beginning to end, a home grown effort.

Objectives
The objectives of the IRBD include the following:  

• Undertake an independent review of the performance of the Bangladesh economy by conducting in-depth analyses focusing on issues of critical importance to the economy.

• Bring together stakeholders in Bangladesh's development by stimulating a culture of dialogue and discussion on various important developmental issues which are put under scrutiny in the IRBDs.

• Encourage informed debate on critical developmental issues in Bangladesh.

• Provide policy inputs to decision-makers.

• Build and stimulate endogenous capacity to design and implement domestic policy agendas.

• Disseminate the findings of the IRBD amongst experts, policymakers, donors, the business community, NGOs and other groups in the civil society of Bangladesh through in-house, regional and national dialogues and through regular interface with the media.
   

Output/Publications  

The IRBD envisages a number of outputs, including the following:  

• Produce annually an IRBD report providing an objective analysis of the performance of the overall economy as well as that of particular sectors.

• Gradually build up a database that would include both published national data and data generated by primary investigations undertaken for the purpose of producing the IRBD.

• Establish a tradition of effective intellectual cooperation with experts outside Bangladesh (both non-resident Bangladeshis as well as foreigners who are interested in issues which are important for Bangladesh's development) through discussion and dialogues, exchange of information through the internet and other modes of networking.

IRBD Outputs

Annual Volumes

IRBD 2006 (Volume 1): State of the Bangladesh Economy in 2005-06 and Outlook for 2006-07 IRBD 2005 (Volume 1): State of the Bangladesh Economy in 2004-05 and Outlook for 2005-06 IRBD 2004: Regional Cooperation in South Asia IRBD 2003: Revisiting Foreign Aid IRBD 2002: Dynamics of Labour Market in Bangladesh and Its Global Linkage IRBD 2001: Bangladesh Facing The Challenges of Globalisation IRBD 2000: Changes and Challenges IRBD 1998: Trends in the Post-Flood Economy IRBD 1997: Crisis in Governance IRBD 1996: Quality of Public Investment in Bangladesh IRBD 1996: Growth or Stagnation IRBD 1995: Experiences with Economic Reform

Other IRBD Outputs

2007
State of the Bangladesh Economy in FY2007 and Outlook for FY2008 (Third Reading) State of the Bangladesh Economy in FY07: An “Election Plus” Agenda for the Second Caretaker Government Economic Programme: CPD’s Recommendations for the Caretaker Government
2006
State of the Bangladesh Economy in FY2006 and Outlook for FY2007 (Second Reading) State of the Bangladesh Economy in FY06: Early Signals and Immediate Outlook
2005
State of the Bangladesh Economy in the Fiscal Year 2004-2005: Second Reading Initial Analysis of the National Budget for FY2004-05 Rapid Assessment of Flood 2004
2004
National Budget FY2004: An Initial Assessment Bangladesh Economy: Macroeconomic Performance State of the Bangladesh Economy in the Fiscal Year 2003-2004 First Interim Report Second Interim State of the Bangladesh Economy in the Fiscal Year 2003-2004: Second Interim Report Finalisation of the Poverty Reduction Strategy for Bangladesh: A Review of The Process and Interim Measures
2003
State of the Bangladesh Economy in FY 2002-2003: A Macroeconomic Overview State of the Bangladesh Economy 2002-2003: An Interim Report State of the Bangladesh Economy 2002-2003 Second Interim State of the Bangladesh Economy 2002-2003: An Interim Report Poverty Reduction Strategy for Bangladesh: A CPD Review of the I-PRSP Draft Impact of Iraq War on Bangladesh Economy
2002
State of Bangladesh Economy in FY2002: An Early Assessment The Emerging Crisis in Bangladesh’s External Sector Bangladesh Food Situation in FY2002 PRSP Exercise in Bangladesh: A CPD Review of the Preparation Process
2001
State of the Bangladesh Economy in FY2000-01: A Review of Some Early Signals