Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The term ‘Think-tank’ is a recent coinage. Although think-tank existed in different forms in different times, they formally appeared in the world of public policy only after World War II. Emperor Akbar had his own think-tank – the Navaratnas or the nine jewels.
This prototype think-tanks largely operated within the realm of the court. Typically, they lacked intellectual and political independence. Modern think-tanks are markedly different. They are largely independent, innovative, well-resourced institutions. These entities not only exert strong influence on policy-makers, but also shapes public opinion.

The rend Corporation is often dubbed as the first modern era think-tank. It was initially called a brain trust or a brain box. With extensive research, publication and dissemination, Rand propagated the virtues of the free-economy. But it was not a mere ideologue. It was a pragmatic, knowledge-based organization that helped ordinary citizens understand the value of choice in a market economy and how these choices can be made to ensure the greater public good. Since the 1950s, many think-tanks have sprouted all over the world- Brookings, Heritage, Chatham House etc, some of them more influential than others. Similarly, the Toda Institute in Japan or the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies in India have played a very effective role in shaping public policies. The research organizations and policy advocacy groups are catching up in Bangladesh too. Some of these are multi-dimensional that look at issues across the board, while there are others that are narrowly focused on a particular aspect of public policy. At the same time, the distinction between think-tanks, educational institutions, NGO and non-profits have become increasingly blurred. Some centers such as the institute of International Development at Harvard or the Hoover Institute at Stanford have longstanding reputations as premier institutions influencing public policy.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

What do think-tanks do? The answer is fairly straight forward. They think and share their thoughts with others. In more specific terms, they are expected to undertake three broad, but mutually reinforcing, functions. First and foremost, their mission is to add value to the existing knowledge base and reduce knowledge-gaps, both within and across different interest groups. Secondly, largely drawing on the first, ideal think-tanks create a policy space and constantly expand its frontiers to facilitate a healthy exchange of ideas. Thirdly, they sense the pulse of the society and help shape and mould public opinion. The third task is what often makes or breaks a think-tank. When this is done right, they can become champion of a cause. This is not the raison d’etre for think-tanks. But vox populi does matter. Think-tanks often face the challenging task of striking a balance between objectivity and public expectation. They cannot just remain confined to thinking. They must also know how best to communicate their thoughts, without succumbing to populist pressure.

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Bangladesh has been blessed to have a number of effective think-tanks which wield significant influences over our public policy. This, of course, includes foreign policy. Bangladesh Institute for Development Studies, Centre for Policy Dialogue, Bangladesh Institute of International Strategic Studies, Bangladesh Enterprise Institute, among many others, are our premier think-tanks. They each have their comparative advantage and commensurate focus. While these institutions play an important role in shaping our policies and enjoy a robust presence, we are far from reaching the saturation point for think-tanks. There is certainly scope for new entrants. I am indeed pleased to see that some of my former colleagues have undertaken the onerous task of expanding the horizon of our thoughts. My sincere congratulations for their initiative.

The ever-evolving policy landscape and an intellectual pursuit to create public good are the usually drivers for new ventures in policy research. We have a number of policy challenges, in domestic, as well as in regional and international contexts. Some of these are daunting – resolving them will require not only ground-breaking research but also consensus building. For example, our national efforts to fight the threat of extremism and religious fundamentalism will require a broad political consensus and an egalitarian social policy to address their root causes. We will have to think how our different educational systems, while meeting our varying professional and spiritual needs, can remain compatible with each other. Think-tanks can contribute to enhancing our understanding on the need for an inclusive education system that is necessary to fight poverty, inequality and fundamentalism.

Ladies and Gentlemen ,

Our think-tanks – both existing and emerging – can help identify new priorities for our foreign policy. Our foreign policy apparatus has been traditionally focused on defensive interests. There is a need to change the paradigm. We need to pursue our offensive interests move vigorously. For example, in the climate change debate, mitigation is our defensive interests while adaptation support and technology transfer represent offensive interests. Our policy research and advocacy groups should be able to pre-empt national  interests and induce and encourage policy makers to act on time. They must be endowed with agility and flexibility. They cannot afford to be supertankers and take forever to take a new angle. I am confident our think-tanks are aware of this and will make every effort to stay ahead in the game.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Pursuing an optimal foreign policy requires coordination and collaboration among all stakeholders. Think-tanks are one such stakeholder. They, however, have the added responsibility to help synthesize consensus that takes into account the primacy of national interest. Achieving the foreign  policy objectives also require cross-border cooperation, whether it is bilateral or multilateral. As we you would agree, we can no longer consider the counterparts in our foreign policy as monoliths or unitary entities. The counterparts also have multiple stakeholders, their think-tanks among them. It is imperative that think-tanks across national borders, across interests, form alliances to further, what I call, enlightened national interests. There too, one can reap the first mover’s advantage. Our researchers and policy advocates cannot wait for their counterparts to come up with a proposal. You should be there first to make a case, whatever that may be, and build support for our cause among the divergent constituents of our counterparts.

Bangladesh research institutions have a few distinct advantages over their counterparts in other countries. The first is our large human resource base. We certainly have more heads to put together. Secondly, Bangladesh presents a rather complex public policy milieu. The challenges in poverty, environment, health, education all present  a fertile ground for innovative thinking. It is no wonder that micro credit, non-formal education, social forestry found their expressions here in Bangladesh. But these innovations need further theoretical foundation, research and validation. Our Think-tanks can play a more active role in branding these innovations and replicating them elsewhere. In essence, they can be a new and effective conduit for highlighting our successes. They need to be not just forward looking, but also outward looking.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Credibility of a think-tank largely depends on the quality of its research, its objectivity and professionalism. A research institution should not be a shop, delivering ‘made-to-order thoughts’. It should not be prescriptive either. Intellectual independence is absolutely essential for a think-tank to do its job right. Along with independence, it must also have a clear focus, even if it addresses multi-disciplinary issues. ‘A jack of all trade’ type think-tank often  lacks wider acceptability. An effective policy advocacy group must have a niche and build a professional image around that. A demonstrated respect for division of labor, competence and comparative advantage are important requirements to enhance its professional standing. It is somewhat unhealthy when one professional group tends to undermine and transgress the expertise of another. Respect only begets respect.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Free thinking is the impetus for progress, for change. A society becomes moribund without a healthy intellectual discourse. Think-tanks are at the centre of that dynamism. I am confident that the emergence of this institution would add tremendous value to our intellectual vibrancy. Given the professional and academic backgrounds of its pioneers, this think-tanks is destined to chart new territories, facilitate new debates and offer new ideas. I am sure it will also make significant contribution to our foreign policy objectives. We will look forward to working with them closely in the days ahead. In doing so, we need to keep in mind that ideas rule the world and its events and think-tank’s is an idea whose time has come.

Thank you.