Policy & other writings

Policy roles

I am a Lead Academic for IGC Bangladesh.

Non-academic & Policy writings

Boudreau, L. and F. Naeem (2021): “Resilient jobs to support Bangladesh’s economic development and equity,” International Growth Centre Draft final report, September, 2021.

Bangladesh has made impressive progress at reducing poverty and increasing prosperity in the past few decades. Strong job creation is a critical factor to this progress, and female employment in the readymade garment sector has been one of the main drivers. Despite this progress, there has been a rapid slowdown in job growth in recent years. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated preexisting concerns about stalling poverty reduction (Genoni et al., 2020) and lack of export diversification. These trends raise many questions about how Bangladesh can ensure that strong labor markets and resilient jobs continue to drive economic growth and poverty reduction. This paper identifies eight opportunities for Bangladesh’s labor market to further support economic development that is inclusive and equitable for all Bangladeshis. In outlining the eight key opportunities, the paper discusses related academic literature, suggests policy and research directions, and identifies the main government agencies responsible for these areas.

Boudreau, L. and F. Naeem (2021): “The Economic Effects of COVID-19 on Ready-made Garment Factories in Bangladesh,” Private Enterprise Development in Low-Income Countries C-19 Note, July 23, 2021.

COVID-19 poses a considerable challenge to the future of Bangladesh’s apparel sector and to Bangladesh’s economy more broadly. In light of COVID-19’s continued economic and health impacts, this research provides systematic evidence on COVID-19’s economic effects from a survey with a representative random sample of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) member factories. This evidence can be used to inform an appropriate policy response and to facilitate planning for recovery from the pandemic.

Boudreau, L. and S. Chassang (2020): “How to Get Employees to Report Their COVID-19 Risk,” Harvard Business Review (Web), August 21, 2020.

In this article, we describe random rotation policies that let employees report potential exposure to COVID-19 while staying safe from stigma or retaliation. For implementation resources, please visit: http://www.safelyreport.org/.