Research Proposal Professor in Bangladesh Dhaka – Free Word Template Download with AI

Date: October 26, 2023
Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Contact: [email protected] | +880-1711-XXXXXX

This research proposal outlines a groundbreaking study led by Professor Dr. Ayesha Rahman, a distinguished environmental scientist at the University of Dhaka, to address the critical vulnerability of Dhaka's informal settlements to climate-induced flooding and urban degradation. With Bangladesh ranked as the world's most climate-vulnerable nation (Climate Vulnerability Index 2023), and Dhaka projected to house 35 million people by 2050, this project directly confronts the urgent need for context-specific, community-centered urban resilience strategies. The research will investigate how gender dynamics and informal community networks intersect with flood risk in Dhaka's slums—particularly in Korail and Kawran Bazar neighborhoods—using mixed-methods fieldwork conducted by a locally embedded team. By centering the voices of women residents (who manage 70% of household climate adaptation efforts, per UNDP Bangladesh), this work will generate actionable frameworks for the Dhaka Water Development Board and municipal authorities. The findings will directly inform Bangladesh's National Climate Change Policy 2018 and urban development priorities in Dhaka, positioning Professor Rahman as a pivotal national leader in climate-resilient urbanism.

Dhaka, the pulsating capital of Bangladesh, faces an existential crisis driven by rapid urbanization, inadequate infrastructure, and intensifying climate extremes. Over 65% of Dhaka's population resides in informal settlements where annual monsoon flooding displaces 1.8 million residents (Dhaka City Corporation Climate Report 2022), eroding livelihoods and deepening poverty cycles. Current flood management strategies—primarily engineering-focused—largely ignore the socio-spatial realities of marginalized communities, particularly how women navigate risks while maintaining household food security and childcare during disasters. As a Professor deeply embedded in Dhaka's academic ecosystem at the University of Dhaka, I have observed that existing research fails to integrate local knowledge systems with policy implementation. This gap perpetuates ineffective interventions: for instance, drainage projects often prioritize main roads over alleyways where women’s market stalls operate, disproportionately harming female vendors. The proposed study directly addresses this void by anchoring its methodology within the lived experiences of Dhaka's most vulnerable residents, guided by the expertise of a Professor with 15 years of fieldwork in Bangladesh's urban environmental challenges.

The core problem is that climate-resilient urban planning in Bangladesh remains dominated by top-down technical approaches, neglecting the intersectional vulnerabilities of women in Dhaka's informal settlements. A 2023 World Bank assessment confirmed that only 12% of Dhaka's flood adaptation projects include gender-disaggregated data, while community participation mechanisms are tokenistic. Crucially, no major research initiative led by a Professor from a Bangladesh university has comprehensively mapped how household-level climate coping strategies (e.g., makeshift shelters, water storage) correlate with municipal infrastructure gaps in Dhaka’s densest neighborhoods. This gap undermines national policy coherence—particularly the Climate Resilient Urban Development Program—and risks wasting resources on solutions that don't align with Dhaka's social fabric.

1. To co-develop a gender-sensitive flood vulnerability index for Dhaka’s informal settlements, incorporating community-led hazard mapping by local women’s groups.
2. To identify critical infrastructure failures (drainage, evacuation routes) that disproportionately impact women's economic activities in Korail and Kawran Bazar.
3. To design a scalable "Community Resilience Action Framework" with Dhaka City Corporation, piloted in 3 wards through Professor Rahman’s established networks at the University of Dhaka.

This participatory action research will span 18 months, led by Professor Rahman with a team of five researchers from the University of Dhaka and field partners from local NGOs like BRAC Urban Unit. Phase 1 (Months 1-6) involves mobile workshops across eight slum clusters in Dhaka, facilitated by female researchers trained in participatory mapping. Residents will use color-coded maps to mark flood-prone zones and document gender-specific impacts—e.g., "flood here disrupts my vegetable stall" or "no safe water source for children." Phase 2 (Months 7-12) applies GIS analysis to correlate community data with Dhaka Water Development Board’s infrastructure databases, identifying systemic failures. Phase 3 (Months 13-18) co-designs solutions with ward committees: e.g., relocating drainage grates near women’s markets or creating flood-resistant storage for small-scale vendors. Crucially, all data collection and analysis will adhere to Bangladesh’s National Data Policy Framework, ensuring ethical governance of community information. As a Professor committed to Dhaka-centric scholarship, I reject extractive research models—this project is co-created with residents from its inception.

The outcomes will directly serve Bangladesh's national development goals. First, the gendered flood index will become an open-source tool for the Ministry of Water Development and Dhaka City Corporation, enabling them to target investments where women’s livelihoods are most at risk. Second, the Community Resilience Action Framework will be adopted as a pilot by 3 wards under Dhaka North City Corporation within 12 months of project completion—addressing a key recommendation in Bangladesh’s Urban Policy (2021). Third, this research positions Professor Rahman as a national expert on climate-adaptive urbanism, strengthening the University of Dhaka’s role in Bangladesh’s knowledge economy. Critically, by centering Dhaka's realities—the city where 15% of Bangladesh's GDP is generated—this project ensures that solutions emerge from the community level, not external consultants. The findings will be published in the Bangladesh Journal of Urban Studies, reaching policymakers and academics across Bangladesh.

Total Request: $48,500 USD (equivalent to BDT 6,875,000). Funds will prioritize local capacity building: 75% for Dhaka-based field assistants and community facilitators; 15% for GIS software licensed through Dhaka University’s IT center; 10% for workshops hosted at the University of Dhaka (avoiding external travel costs). No funds will go toward international consultants, ensuring all resources directly support Bangladesh's academic and community partners. This aligns with the Government of Bangladesh’s "Local Ownership" principle in climate funding.

In a city where climate threats are daily realities, this research is not merely academic—it is an urgent call for equity. Led by Professor Rahman, whose career has centered on Bangladesh’s urban challenges, the project embodies the University of Dhaka’s mission to solve local problems with global relevance. By placing Dhaka women at the heart of resilience planning and building policy pathways through a Professor deeply familiar with Bangladesh's governance landscape, this study will transform how climate adaptation is designed in one of the world's most vulnerable megacities. We request partnership to advance a future where Dhaka’s growth is inclusive, equitable, and resilient.

Word Count: 1,200

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