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The 11th South Asia Economic Policy Network Conference on Social Progress in South Asia

May 9-10, 2023

Dhaka, Bangladesh

SAEPN Conference Spring-2023 on Social Progress in South Asia

Join us for the 11th South Asia Economic Policy Network Conference on Social Progress in South Asia, hosted by the Office of the Chief Economist for the South Asia Region, Poverty and Equity Practice Group of the World Bank and BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD). This two-day hybrid event brings together distinguished experts and thought leaders who will delve into the crucial topic of Inequality of Opportunity and Intergenerational Mobility in South Asia.

This event features a keynote lecture by renowned economist Raj Chetty (Professor of Economics, Harvard University), paper presentations, expert panel discussion and a presentation on the main findings of the World Bank¡¯s South Asia Economic Focus Spring 2023. 

With very low social mobility and high inequality of opportunity in countries in South Asia, this conference aims to address the persistent disparities that pose a significant threat to the achievement of development goals and the eradication of poverty in the region. 

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  • DAY 1 | Tuesday, May 9, 2023
    12:45 ¨C 7:30 PM (BGD)  | 2:45 ¨C 9:30 AM (EDT)

     

    12:45 ¨C 1:20

    WELCOME REMARKS

    ? Imran Matin Executive Director, Brac Institute of Governance and Development

    ? Abdoulaye Seck, Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan, World Bank

     

    OPENING REMARKS

    ? Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Ph.D, MP, Hon¡¯ble Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad, Bangladesh

    1:20&²Ô²ú²õ±è;¨C&²Ô²ú²õ±è;3:30

    SESSION 1: MEASURING INEQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY AND INTERGENERATIONAL MOBILITY

     

    PART A. 

    PAPER I:

    Author: Arijita Dutta, Triparna Majumdar and Shashi Bhusan Mishra

     

    PAPER II:

    Author: Ishan Anand

     

    PAPER III:

    Author: Avinash Kumar

     

    Discussant: Nayantara Sarma, Economist, World Bank

     

    PART B. 

    PAPER IV:

    Author: Libitha C

     

    PAPER V: Intergenerational mobility in Nepal: Does land ownership really matter?

    Author: Ashesh Shrestha and Arpita Nepal

     

    PAPER VI: Impact of Parental Aspirations on Adolescent Education: A Qualitative Study Exploring Slums in Dhaka, Bangladesh

    Author: Taslima Aktar, Samira A. Rahaa, Saklain A. Mamunb, Silvia Guglielmic and Farhana Alam

     

    Discussant: Ayago Wambile, Senior Economist, World Bank 

    3:30&²Ô²ú²õ±è;¨C&²Ô²ú²õ±è;3:55

    TEA/COFFEE BREAK

    3:55&²Ô²ú²õ±è;¨C&²Ô²ú²õ±è;5:00

    SESSION 2: GENDER INEQUALITY

     

    PAPER I:

    Author: Ashokankur Datta and Aparajita Dasgupta

     

    PAPER II:

    Author: Pallavi Gupta and Falguni Pattanaik

     

    PAPER III:

    Author: Hana Zahir

     

    Discussant: Nele Charlotte A Warrinnier, Economist, World Bank

    5:00&²Ô²ú²õ±è;¨C&²Ô²ú²õ±è;6:05

     

    SESSION 3: INEQUALITY AND HUMAN CAPITAL

     

    PAPER I:

    Author: Prakash Kumar Shukla, Bheemeshwar Reddy A. and Dushyant Kumar

     

    PAPER II:

    Author: Natasha Jha

     

    PAPER III:

    Author: Pradeep Kumar Choudhury and Jandhyala BG Tilak

     

    Discussant: Kazi Iqbal, Senior Research Fellow, BID

    6:05&²Ô²ú²õ±è;¨C&²Ô²ú²õ±è;6:30

    TEA/COFFEE BREAK

    6:30&²Ô²ú²õ±è;¨C&²Ô²ú²õ±è;7:30

     

    KEYNOTE LECTURE

    Speaker: Raj Chetty, Professor of Economics, Harvard University

     

    Open Discussion (Q&A with the audience)

    7:30

    CLOSING DAY 1

     

    DAY 2 | Wednesday, May 10, 2023
    9:55 AM ¨C 3:00 PM (BGD)  | 11:55 PM ¨C 5:00 AM (EDT)

     

    9:55 ¨C 10:15

    OPENING REMARKS

    Day 1 Recap by Hans Timmer, Chief Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank

    10:15 ¨C 11:05

    SESSION 4: EDUCATION POLICIES

     

    PAPER I:

    Author: Emaan Siddique      

            

    PAPER II:

    Author: Hashibul Hassan, Liang Choon Wang, Michael Vlassopoulos and Asad Islam

     

    Discussant: Zoe Leiyu Xie, Senior Economist, World Bank

    11:05 ¨C 11:15 

    TEA/COFFEE BREAK

    11:15 ¨C 12:15 

    SESSION 5: AFFIRMATIVE ACTION / GRADUATION POLICIES

     

    PAPER I:

    Author: Maliha Noshin Khan, Rocco Zizzamia, Narayan Das, Stefan Dercon, Imran Matin, Ashley Pople, and Munshi Sulaiman

     

    PAPER II:

    Author: Santanu Gupta and Apratim Guha

     

    PAPER III: The Impact of Entrepreneurship Training and Credit on Labour Market Outcomes of Disadvantaged Youth

    Author: Marzuk A N Hossain, Tahsina Naz Khan, Anindita Bhattacharjee, Narayan Das, Atiya Rahman and Asma Tabassum

     

    Discussant: Munshi Sulaiman, Research Director, BIGD

    12:15 - 1:10 LUNCH
    1:10 ¨C 2:30

    OVERVIEW AND PANEL DISCUSSION: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES - SOCIAL MOBILITY IN SOUTH ASIA

    Presenter: Maurizio Bussolo, Lead Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank 

     

    Speakers:

    ? Abdul Baki, Member (Secretary), Industry and Energy Division, Planning Commission, Government of the Peoples¡¯ Republic of Bangladesh

    ? Haris Gazdar, Director and Senior Researcher at the Collective for Social Science Research, Pakistan

    ? Shaheen Anam, Executive Director of Manusher Jonno Foundation, Bangladesh

    ? Imran Matin, Executive Director of BIGD, Bangladesh

     

    Chair: Hossain Zillur Rahman, BRAC Chairperson
     

    Open Discussion (Q&A)

    2:30 ¨C 3:00 

    CLOSING REMARKS

    ? Nasima Begum, Member (Senior Secretary), Planning Commission, Government of the Peoples¡¯ Republic of Bangladesh

    ? Hans Timmer, Chief Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank 

     

    Vote of thanks by Imran Matin, BRAC University

    3:00 PMCLOSING DAY 2
  • Remarks

    MP, Hon¡¯ble Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad, Bangladesh
    Male wearing blue suit, powder blue blouse and red tie

    Abdoulaye Seck

    Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan, World Bank

    Member (Senior Secretary), Department of Socio-Economic Infrastructure (SEI), Planning Commission, Government of the Peoples¡¯ Republic of Bangladesh
    Male with grey hair and beard, wearing blue blazer and tie with light grey blouse

    Hans Timmer

    Chief Economist, South Asia, World Bank

    Executive Director, BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), BRAC University

    Panelists

    Executive Director of Manusher Jonno Foundation, Bangladesh

    Member (Secretary), Industry and Energy Division, Planning Commission, Government of the People¡¯s Republic of Bangladesh

    Director and Senior Researcher at the Collective for Social Science Research, Pakistan

    BRAC Chairperson, Dhaka, Bangladesh

    Lead Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank

    KEYNOTE

    Professor of Economics, Harvard University

    DISCUSSANTS

    Economist, World Bank

    Senior Economist, World Bank

    Economist, World Bank

    Senior Research Fellow, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies

    Senior Economist, World Bank

    Research Director, BIGD

    MODERATOR

    Male with dark hair wearing eye glasses, blue blazer and striped blouse

    Zunaed Rabbani

    Founder and CEO, The Right Kind
  • Hans Timmer

    CHIEF ECONOMIST, SOUTH ASIA region, WORLD BANK

    Luis Felipe Lopez-Calva

    Global Director, Poverty and Equity Global Practice, World Bank

    Practice Manager, Poverty and Equity Global Practice Group, World Bank

    Lead Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BRAC INSTITUTE OF GOVERNANCE AND DEVELOPMENT

    Head, Operations & Strategic Engagement and Partnership, BRAC Institute of Governance and Development

    Associate Professor of Economics, Imperial College London

    Professor of Economics, University of Bari

    Senior Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank

    Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank

    India Director, Development Data Lab

    Chitra Balasubramanian

    Consultant, South Asia Region, World Bank

DETAILS

  • Topic: Social Progress in South Asia
  • DAY 1: Tues, May 9, 2023 (12:45¨C7:30 PM BGD)
  • DAY 2: Wed, May 10, 2023 (9:30 AM¨C3:00 PM BGD)
  • Location: The BRAC Centre, Dhaka, Bangladesh
  • CONTACT: South Asia Chief Economist Office 
  • sarchiefeconomistoffice@worldbank.org


Photo Album

Group photo of all speakers
Four speakers on stage talking to the presenter on the podium
Male speaker on stage wearing traditional Bangladeshi clothes
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Male speaker on stage wearing black suit
Four speakers on stage
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Female speaker on the podium wearing traditional Indian clothes
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Female speaker on the podium wearing traditional Indian clothes
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Moderator presenting virtual speaker
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Male speaker on stage wearing purple blouse and eyeglasses
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Male speaker on the podium wearing blue shirt
Group photo of four speakers
Male speaker on the podium wearing blue suit
Male speaker on the podium wearing blue suit
Male speaker on the podium wearing white blouse
Male speaker on the podium wearing black suit
Female speaker on the podium wearing traditional Indian clothes
Group photo of four speakers
Four speakers on stage
Female speaker on the podium wearing blouse and eyeglasses
Male speaker on the podium wearing blouse and eyeglasses
Female speaker on the podium wearing traditional Indian clothes
Female speaker on stage wearing traditional Indian clothes
Female speaker on the podium wearing traditional Bangladeshi clothes
Male speaker on the podium wearing grey suit
Male speaker on the podium wearing grey suit
Female speaker wearing traditional Bangladeshi clothes
Male moderator on a podium wearing dark blue suit