PPRC has emerged as one of the key players in addressing critical knowledge gaps and advocating for a holistic perspective on urban challenges. With support from The World Bank and DFID PPRC has conducted a series of studies on urban spatial and economic growth, migration and labour markets, urban finance, access to services and urban poverty. PPRC has also developed an urban database for Bangladesh in collaboration with Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). The Centre’s urban research from 2009 to 2016 led to three major publications – Urban Bangladesh (2011) Bangladesh Urban Dynamics (2012) and The Urban Spectrum: Metropolitan to Mofussil (2016)– and an international conference on Urban Poverty: Challenges of Perspective and Action, which brought together national and international key stakeholders from different sectors. New studies are underway to address multidimensional poverty and inclusive growth in Dhaka.

PPRC team’s research from 1990 to 2007 served a critical role in scaling up policy engagement with the issue of monga and extreme poverty. The organization has also led national efforts on scaling up social protection through comprehensive studies on safety nets, including Safety Nets in Bangladesh Volumes 1 & 2 (PPRC & UNDP).

PPRC’s current engagement on the poverty agenda is on the efficacy of safety nets (Spot Checks of five major Disaster Ministry programs) and bringing to policy attention the third poverty frontier, namely excluded and marginalized communities (EU-supported project being implemented jointly with SEHD).