About · Our identity
From our founding in 2023 to a multi-programme foundation operating across fourteen districts — this is the story of how CHRSD grew into the work.
The beginning
CHRSD was established in 2023 by researchers and civil society leaders in Dhaka. The founders believed Bangladesh needed independent, evidence-based institutions capable of holding power accountable and amplifying the voices of the most vulnerable.
In just a few years, CHRSD has grown from a founding idea into a multi-programme foundation with formal submissions to two government ministries. The question — what does it take for marginalised people to shape their own futures? — remains exactly the same.
Key milestones
The Centre for Humanitarian Research and Social Development Foundation is registered under the Societies Registration Act (Reg. No. S-14480/2026). Founded by researchers and civil society leaders, CHRSD's mandate: produce evidence that marginalised communities can use to advocate for their own rights and partner with government on technology-driven development solutions.
CHRSD launches its socio-economic research division — producing evidence on poverty, labour markets, and environmental change — alongside a human rights monitoring and legal aid programme offering free legal representation to victims of trafficking, domestic violence, and arbitrary detention.
The National Smart Afforestation & Digital Monitoring Programme is formally submitted to and received by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. NSADMP deploys GIS tagging, Sentinel-2/Landsat-8 NDVI satellite monitoring, and the Nevronus Systems mobile platform to verify sapling survival at tree level across Bangladesh.
The Smart Digital Attendance Management System & Monitoring Programme is submitted to the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education and the Directorate of Primary Education. The programme targets biometric-verified teacher attendance across 65,566+ government primary schools — covering 379,624 teachers nationally.
CHRSD, in partnership with Nevronus Systems and optical technology partner Lunera Eye Care, secures a signed acknowledgement from BGMEA for the AI Vision Care Initiative — deploying AI-assisted computer vision diagnostics to address uncorrected vision impairment among 1.2 million RMG garment workers.
CHRSD's first large-scale community plantation drive plants over 5,000 GPS-tagged saplings in Sonaimuri, directly supporting the Government of Bangladesh's national electoral pledge to plant 25 crore trees within five years under the "5 Bochore 25 Koti Brikkhyaropon" programme.
CHRSD launches Phase II of NSADMP targeting coastal Bangladesh, where climate stress is most acute. The legal aid programme expands to three new districts and a multi-year evaluation of SDAMSMP begins — measuring whether attendance improvements translate into learning outcomes.
Where we are headed
Read our Executive Director's annual message for a detailed account of this year's progress and CHRSD's priorities for the years ahead.
