National vision is a prime component in development planning for any country across the world. It serves as an important benchmark for measuring the performance of a government and ensuring that it becomes accountable to the citizens. Today, all the major political parties of Bangladesh, including ruling Awami League and political opposition BNP, have their own political vision with regard to the future of Bangladesh. The very notion of drawing a long-term plan for a balanced growth and development of the country has brought a significant change in the history of Bangladesh.

However, crafting a national or political vision to set the future course of actions concerning the country’s development is relatively new in Bangladesh. Until 2007, the political parties did not have any defined vision or long-term plan on where they want to see the country in future.

The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), Bangladesh’s premier civil society think-tank, played a catalytic role in this matter through civic activism. This had been particularly pronounced in the wake of national elections in an effort to articulate development agendas for the newly elected governments.  National Policy Forum (2001) and National Policy Review Forum (2003) are examples of such actions. As part of its national responsibility, CPD, in 2006, conducted wide ranging consultations, local-level dialogues and town hall meetings with the help of media across the country to know how and where people want to see Bangladesh in future. Consequently, CPD drafted a citizens’ charter on Bangladesh titled “Bangladesh Vision 2021” reflecting the ideas, opinions and aspirations of people from all section of the society to build a democratic, non-communal, progressive nation.

With this “Bangladesh Vision 2021,” CPD brought about a revolutionary change among the political parties of Bangladesh in terms of their approach towards the future of Bangladesh. It has proved to be an effective tool to give voice to the furthest behind and bring their hidden demands in front of the limelight. Inspired by CPD’s “Bangladesh Vision 2021,” the political parties began to frame their own long-term plans for the country. Before the national election of 2008, Bangladesh Awami League became the first political party of the country to come up with “Vision 2021” as their electoral manifesto.

Apart from it, CPD’s research outputs have contributed to important policy changes and policy initiatives that were geared in support of good governance, sound economic management and interests of marginalised groups in the society. In view of elections in 2013, CPD published a study that assessed the impact of strikes (hartal) on the domestic economy and then convened a discussion forum in partnership with civil society organisations to convey citizens’ concerns about the then-ongoing political impasse and prospects for participatory national elections.

CPD also pursues civic activism in response to various national emergencies. Following the Rana Plaza tragedy, CPD’s initiative to monitor the progress of various initiatives undertaken by key stakeholders is one such example.