By Aminul Arifeen & Arju Afrin Kathy

Does Bangladesh’s Flagship Workfare Programme Deliver? Evidence from HIES Panel Data and Two-Upazila Case Studies is a research-based working paper that evaluates the effectiveness of the Employment Generation Programme for the Poorest (EGPP), Bangladesh’s largest public workfare initiative. Using data from three rounds of the Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES 2010, 2016, and 2022), along with field-level case studies from Kurigram Sadar and Shyamnagar, the paper examines the programme’s impact on poverty reduction, food security, women’s empowerment, livelihood diversification, and seasonal distress migration.

The study finds that EGPP plays a significant role as a seasonal social protection mechanism, improving household food security, reducing lean-season migration, and increasing women’s independent mobility and financial inclusion through direct bank-based payments. At the same time, the research identifies ongoing challenges related to beneficiary targeting, political influence in selection processes, and limited long-term livelihood transformation among beneficiaries.

Drawing on comparative experiences from international workfare and social protection programmes in countries such as India, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Argentina, the paper proposes a set of evidence-based policy reforms aligned with Bangladesh’s post-2026 National Social Protection Strategy (NSPS). Key recommendations include strengthening governance and targeting systems, introducing wage indexation, building adaptive shock-responsive capacity, and developing an “EGPP Plus” graduation model that combines employment support with skills development, financial literacy, and livelihood enhancement.

This publication serves as an important resource for policymakers, researchers, development practitioners, and stakeholders interested in social protection reform, public employment programmes, and inclusive development in Bangladesh.