History

In an environment where research is sometimes restricted to academic circles, RAN arose to transform society through research. It is a research-focused organisation with the purpose of not just conducting research but also ensuring its concrete impact on society. Dr. Sharif Haider spearheaded the idea, which evolved through a virtual spark talk session with students from Dhaka University and Shahjalal University of Science and Technology in Bangladesh. He worked collaboratively with esteemed educators and researchers Professor Tulshi Kumar Das, Professor Mst Ayesha Sultana, and Md. Fakhrul Alam, and students Md. Pyas Sarkar, Sinchon Deb Swarna, Abdullah Al Mamun and Jashim Uddin Lashkar to lay the foundation for a network that would not only conduct and disseminate research findings and influence policy change but also developing research-informed services and empower the next generation of change-makers. RAN’s journey began with a focus on empowering general public, students, and academics to become co-producers of knowledge. It was driven by the belief that true change stems from empowering people and research can transform society and building better future for all.