University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) is a private liberal arts-based University in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Founded in February 2002, the university has maintained its demonstrated commitment to progressive education, research and engaged citizenship. The Center for Enterprise and Society (CES) at ULAB is Bangladesh’s first university-based research center dedicated to conducting research on entrepreneurship and business with a view towards ethical, environmental and social sustainability. It is the leading business research center in Bangladesh, and one of the leading research centers based out of a university. CES has won multiple research grants from prestigious donors in the US and UK. The mission of CES is to produce high-quality research and knowledge in order to bridge the theoretical and empirical interface between enterprises and society. Its vision is to enable an entrepreneurial society in Bangladesh, built on ethical foundations. CES also has a proven track record of advocacy, continuously promoting business and social causes, ranging from financial inclusion to promotion of tolerance, diversity and pluralism.

Rigan Chakma has extensive field research experience both within Bangladeshi borders and beyond. He has completed his master’s and bachelor’s in International Relations (IR) from the University of Dhaka. He is a general body member of the Refugee Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU), Dhaka University where his involvement dates back to his student days. From 2010 to 2013, he worked with the Institute of Governance Studies (IGS), Brac University (now BIGD).

Abantee Harun is an Assistant Professor in the General Education Department at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh. Her research interests include the anthropology of Islam, youth, nationalism, ethnicity and gender. Ms. Harun has conducted different research projects with the UN and a number of international and national organizations on a diverse range of issues.

Shagufe Hossain is a gender and social inclusion specialist who founded the Leaping Boundaries Foundation which aims to increase visibility and improve life chances of girls in the madrasah sector – who often lack access to mainstream platforms as a result of the stigma associated with the sector. She has completed her undergraduate degree in administrative studies from York University and master’s in development studies from BRAC University and her second master’s from McGill University.

Dr. Tariq Modood is the founding director of the Bristol University Research Centre for the Study of Ethnicity and Citizenship. He has held over 40 grants and consultancies (UK, European and US), has over 35 (co-)authored and (co-)edited books and reports and over 250 articles or chapters in political philosophy, sociology and public policy. He was a Robert Schuman Fellow at the European University Institute from 2013 to 2015.

Lumbini Barua is an experienced social researcher in a diverse range of sectors including e-learning, inclusive education, higher education, financial inclusion, social media radicalization, countering violent extremism, youth development and SDGs. As a Research Associate at the Center for Enterprise and Society at ULAB, she has co-authored a book chapter published by Routledge. She has also co-authored a paper selected for publication by USAID.

Simi Mehta, Ph.D., is the CEO and Editorial Director of the Impact and Policy Research Institute (IMPRI). She received a B.A. (Honours) in Political Science from University of Delhi; M.A., M. Phil and Ph.D. from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. During her Ph.D., she was awarded the prestigious Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Fellowship and was affiliated with The Ohio State University, USA. She is the author of the book “Lessons in Sustainable Development from Bangladesh and India”.