Despite a clear link between national progress and research spending, Bangladesh lags far behind in research and development with a mere Tk 620 per capita expenditure.
The Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) per capita for the fiscal years 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2020-21 was estimated to be Tk 615.51, Tk 590.55, and Tk 619.82, respectively. The GERD per capita exhibited modest growth over a three-year period despite a simultaneous rise in the population.
According to a report on the Research and Development (R&D) Survey 2022 published by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the GERD of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was estimated to be 0.35 per cent, 0.31 per cent, and 0.30 per cent in FY19, FY20, and FY21, respectively. This shows that the GERD-to-GDP ratio in Bangladesh is decreasing.
The BBS conducted the survey to develop credible indicators related to R&D and evaluate the capability of the National System of Innovation (NSI). The survey also sought to identify the dynamics of the country's innovation system, highlight the linkages between the public and private sectors, and create a baseline for monitoring progress.
They conducted this survey on four sectors — higher education, government, business enterprises, and private non-profit institutions.
The R&D survey reviewed data from FY21 and the previous two fiscals. It was conducted based on the data of 497 public and private institutions in four sectors. Some 108 of these institutions are higher education institutions, 95 government institutions, 41 private non-profit institutions, and 253 business institutions.
There were 18,025 researchers in these institutions in FY21. However, the number of full-time researchers is even less, recorded at 12,798. Accordingly, there are only 76 full-time researchers in the country for every million people.
The survey said that there are 107 researchers for every one million people in Bangladesh, and the number of women researchers is not satisfactory, as only 10.82 per cent of the total researchers are women.
According to the survey, the total R&D expenditure for FY19, FY20, and FY21 was Tk 101928.51 million, Tk 98857.54 million, and Tk 104810.72 million, respectively. During the three years, the expenditure on research and development saw a marginal increase of 2.83 per cent, and the fiscal year 2020-21 witnessed a 6.02 per cent increase over the previous fiscal year.
According to the BBS report, most of the money spent on research in Bangladesh is on agronomy. In terms of expenditure, the natural sciences are second, while the engineering and technology sector is third. Medical research is fourth, accounting for 12 per cent of the total expenditure.
The business sector spent the most money over three years, while non-government NPIs spent the least. The government sector was the second-largest sector in terms of performing R&D activities.
Capital expenditures accounted for the most significant portion of total R&D spending. In FY19, FY20, and FY21, capital expenditures were Tk 62433.78 million (61.25 per cent), Tk 60420.92 million (61.12 per cent), and Tk 64819.11 million (61.84 per cent), respectively.
This is mainly because businesses generally prioritise capital spending over other forms of R&D spending, which enables them to invest in new technologies and products. The BBS survey said this strategy also contributes to its growth in the market.
The expenditure of funds for experimental development represented 50.41 per cent, 53.13 per cent, and 52.70 per cent of the total research and development expenditures in the three fiscal years in question. In contrast, the expenditure on applied research was 39.34, 37.40, and 38.32 per cent for the fiscal years 2018– 19, 2019–20, and 2020–21, respectively.
On the other hand, primary research accounted for the least of total research and development expenditures, with 10.25 per cent, 9.47 per cent, and 8.98 per cent of total R&D expenditures in 2018–19, 2019–20, and 2020–21, respectively.
This trend indicates that R&D performers are increasingly focused on developing new products and processes rather than investing in fundamental research.
"This shift has generated a new focus on short-term innovation and has caused us to worry about a lack of long-term progress. It is also important to note that a lack of adequate allocation of resources towards basic research may present a potential limitation in our ability to make significant advancements and uncover groundbreaking discoveries," the BBS report said.
