Centre for Social Weather Analysis

The BUP’s major research thrusts include public opinion research (along with socio-economic policy and environment and development) on a wide range of social, political, economic, environment, and cultural issues. There is no tradition in Bangladesh of public opinion research for eliciting public opinion on different aspects of life and living of the people. One often hears people, particularly political leaders, making pronouncements alluding to various desires and expectations of the people. Usually such statements are the perceptions of the speakers themselves, not based on an assessment of the opinions of the people. There is in fact a critical data gap on what the people want regarding various important national issues relating to their lives. Towards filling up this knowledge gap, the BUP initiated a process of collecting data on people’s opinions, perceptions and expectations in 1995.

In 1997, the BUP, in recognition of its Social Weather Analysis Programme (SWAP), was accepted to membership in the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP), a society of leading national public opinion survey institutes of different countries. It is a forum for cross country comparisons of social attitudes and characteristics and other aspects of life and living of the people. Out of 22 ISSP member institutions, one of the three institutions from the developing world is the BUP (SWAP). The BUP chairman and SWAP director are members of the World Association of Public Opinion Research (WAPOR).

The BUP has a close working relationship with Social Weather Stations (SWS) of the Philippines, a well-known public opinion research centre.

A list of major surveys conducted by the BUP since 1994 is given below:

01. News media, fundamentalism/bigotry situation in Bangladesh, opinion about the police, economic condition (national survey).

02. Election, political situation, law and order, fertilizer crisis, Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing), women in productive employment, foreign investment, economic condition, wages, education, health (national survey.

03. Elections and caretaker government, violence by the police, Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing) (Dhaka metro survey).

04. 1991 elections, people’s ideas about the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader, people as the source of political power (national survey).

05. 15 February 1996 parliamentary elections, election commission, political implications of 15 February elections, resolution of political impasse, arrest of Opposition leaders, implications of political impasse for the economy (Dhaka and sub0urban survey).

06. Autonomy of Radio and TV, caretaker government, Elections June 1996, law and order, the judiciary system, commitments of leaders before elections (national survey).

07. Caretaker government and impartiality of elections, 12 June elections, the President’s actions concerning the Army (Dhaka and sub-urban survey).

08. Exit poll on 12 June 1996 parliamentary elections (Dhaka metro survey).

09. National identify (national survey).

10. World values survey (national survey).

11. 1996 budget, politician president, elections 1996, Indemnity Ordinance, bank defaulters (national survey).

12. Local government structure, land-use practices and land reform, water treaty with India (national survey).

13. Law and order gender issues, political party-specific activities, current issues affecting the common people (national survey).

14. Regional and sub-regional issues, especially trade and transit issues with neighbouring countries (national survey).

15. People’s working conditions and their socio-economic position (national survey).

16. Ganges water issues (Dhaka and sub-urban survey).

17. Trial of the assassination of Bangabandhu and its judgement, trial of the assassination of national leaders in jail and of former President Ziaur Rahman, “hartal” (general strike) as a political weapon, relief/rehabilitation during and after floods 1998 (national survey).

18. Water-related problems and their solutions in the Ganges-dependent areas (relevant eight selected districts surveyed).

19. Corruption, perceptions about the police force, law and order, crime and punishment, rights of women, crimes, against women (national survey)