Global Development and Research Initiative

Project Background

Bangladesh's nationwide COVID-19 lockdown triggered widespread rural job/income losses, hitting informal/precarious workers hardest and exacerbating food insecurity for millions of poor households—aligning with global estimates of sharp working hour/income declines.
Two-wave phone surveys in Khulna/Satkhira (from 423 villages, building on 2019 data) detail initial lockdown income shocks, their effects on food/finance/health worries, coping strategies (e.g., reduced spending/borrowing), and how food insecurity intertwined with responses—showing economic stress often overrode health precautions.

Roles of GDRI

Capacity Development and Intervention Design: Converted in-person surveys to short phone questionnaires (income/worries/coping/food security); provided pre-COVID 2019 data from same areas for sampling/merging/analysis.
Field Implementation and Community Engagement: Implemented 2 phone survey waves (423 villages); mobilized familiar enumerators for 15-20 min calls (lockdown-safe); coordinated scheduling/follow-ups for high response.
Data Management, Cleaning, and Analysis: Managed phone data quality/entry; cleaned/merged with 2019 baselines; supported analysis of shocks/worries/coping/food links.

Our expertise lies in designing and implementing rigorous, large-scale empirical research—especially RCTs, mixed-methods studies, and impact evaluations—across education, gender, health, agriculture, crisis response, and climate adaptation in real-world Bangladeshi settings. We specialize in translating complex research questions into actionable study designs, ensuring methodological rigor while remaining sensitive to local contexts and constraints.

Our team has extensive experience in survey design, instrument development, and high-frequency data collection using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. We are proficient in managing large datasets, applying advanced econometric techniques, and ensuring data quality through robust monitoring and validation systems. From baseline to endline, we maintain strict adherence to ethical standards and research protocols.

We also excel in working closely with government agencies, NGOs, and local communities to co-design interventions and ensure policy relevance. Our work emphasizes generating evidence that is not only academically sound but also practically useful for decision-makers. We have a strong track record in producing policy briefs, academic papers, and dissemination materials tailored to diverse audiences.

In addition, we bring expertise in capacity building, training enumerators and field supervisors, and strengthening local research ecosystems. By combining technical excellence with deep contextual understanding, we aim to contribute meaningful insights that inform policy, improve program effectiveness, and drive sustainable development outcomes in Bangladesh.

Rural Household Worries and Coping During COVID-19 Lockdown

Project Background

Project Scope & Reach

Key research partners

Funding & Support

Roles of GDRI

Project Details

Related Projects

Interested in this work?

Our Expertise