A few words from some of DATA's friends over the years
– Agnes Quisumbing
Agnes Quisumbing is a Senior Research Fellow in the Poverty, Gender, and Inclusion Unit.
“Congratulations, Zihad bhai, and congratulations to DATA! So privileged to have walked part of this journey with you!”
– Dr. Sajjd Zohir
Executive Director, Economic Research Group (ERG)
“Congratulation!”
– Ruth Meinzen-Dick
Research Fellow Emeritus, IFPRI
“Dear Zihad and colleagues,
Congratulations! It has been a real pleasure and learning experience to work with you.
Best wishes for the next 30 years (and beyond).”
– Christa Räder
Former Country Director, WFP Bangladesh
“Congratulations! and kind regards!”
– Naveen Abedin, Ph.D.
Department of Public Health Sciences
School of Medicine
University of Virginia
“Dear Zihad Bhai and DATA Team,
Congratulations on reaching this remarkable milestone of 30 years! This anniversary is a testament to DATA’s unwavering commitment to excellence in data collection and survey operations.
I have had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the exceptional care, devotion, transparency, and meticulous work that DATA conducts in supporting research across economics, social sciences, nutrition, health, policy, and agriculture. Your organization’s dedication to rigorous data collection methodologies and high-quality fieldwork has been truly inspiring to observe.
My learning experience has extended far beyond the classroom through my interactions with you, Simon Bhai, Zobair Bhai, and your incredibly hardworking and dedicated enumerators and trainers. The knowledge and insights I have gained about survey implementation and data collection processes from working with your team have been invaluable to my professional development. I am proud to refer researchers and organizations from abroad to DATA when they need reliable data collection partners for their research in Bangladesh. Your reputation for excellence and reliability precedes you, and rightfully so.
As you celebrate this significant anniversary, I wish you all the best as you continue your vital mission of enabling high-quality research through exceptional data collection and program implementation services. Here’s to many more years of outstanding work and positive impact.
With sincere congratulations and best wishes“
– Phuong Hong Nguyen
Senior Research Fellow
International Food Policy Research Institute
“Dear Zihad and DATA Team,
Congratulations to DATA on reaching the remarkable milestone of 30 years!
We are honored to have collaborated with DATA on impactful projects such as the Alive & Thrive randomized control trial on infant and young child feeding practices, as well as the maternal nutrition study in both rural and urban Bangladesh. These initiatives were crucial in generating high-quality evidence, and we are grateful for DATA’s dedication, integrity, and tireless commitment to excellence in data collection.
Throughout our collaboration, we have consistently witnessed DATA’s professionalism, attention to detail, and ability to adapt to challenging field conditions — qualities that have become your hallmark over the past three decades. Your team’s efforts have played a pivotal role in shaping research and informing policy not just in Bangladesh, but beyond.
Thank you for being a trusted partner. We deeply value our collaboration and look forward to working together again in the future.
Best wishes to DATA’s continued success and the exciting journey ahead in your 4th decade!
Best regards”
– Jessica Heckert, Ph.D.
Senior Research Fellow
Poverty, Gender, and Inclusion Unit
International Food Policy Research Institute
“Dear Zihad,
Congratulations on DATA’s accomplishments over the past 30 years.
Best,
Jessica”
– Farzana Yasmeen
Sr. Advisor-Program Development and MEL
Program Management Specialist, Economic Growth Office
U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
“Dear Zihad bhai.
What wonderful news! Congratulations!
Here’s wishing you and the DATA team all the success for future endeavours.
Best regards, Farzana”
– Talip Kilic
Acting Manager & Senior Program Manager, Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS), World Bank
“Hi Ziyad – Congratulations on this milestone – so glad to have been connected and worked with the team! I am copying Heather, Wilbert and Amparo to briefly reflect on their experiences – congratulations again! “
– Amparo Palacios-Lopez
Program Manager
Living Standards Measurement Unit (DECLS)
Home of the Living Standards Measurement Study & Survey Solutions
Development Data Group | World Bank | Washington, DC
“Dear Zihad,
Congratulations on this milestone, we are very happy to have been part of this history. We were satisfied with the quality of the work and the time the team took to understand the objective of the study and make sure that it was properly implemented. We are grateful for the partnership and look forward to new opportunities to collaborate.
Best,
Amparo”
– Tim Thomas
Tim Thomas is a Senior Research Fellow in the Foresight and Policy Modeling Unit.
“Well done on reaching 30 years!!!
It is hard to believe, but IFPRI just hit 50 years!
May both our organizations continue long into the future.”
– Berber Kramer
Berber Kramer is a Senior Research Fellow in the Markets, Trade, and Institutions Unit, based in Nairobi, Kenya.
“Dear Zahid, Imrul, and Zobair,
Congrats on this wonderful milestone! 30 years already – what an incredible journey it’s been. You can all be proud of this accomplishment, and staying afloat amidst these challenges is no easy feat.
I have such fond memories of the experiments and surveys we’ve done together, and the time that I have spent at your offices and with the team in the field. If at any point I’m working in Bangladesh again, DATA will be top of the list.
Although it can’t be easy for you now with the changes in the donor landscape, I hope that the breeze picks up and gets into DATA’s sails soon enough again, so that you can all embark on the next phase of your voyage with DATA!
Best,
Berber “
– Dr. John Hoddinott
Professor of Food & Nutrition Economics and Policy
Division of Nutritional Sciences
“This is lovely and an excellent summary of your astonishing work. Thanks for sharing. JH“
– James Garette
James Garrett is a Senior Scientist at the Alliance of CIAT and Bioversity.
“Great to hear from you all and congratulations!
I’m so glad I was able to be a part of your success.
I didn’t realize my work with you was part of the “Building” period!
DATA was already fully organized and professionally working at an international level of quality.
Please keep in touch…and if I come to Dhaka, I’d love to meet you all again.
Best wishes for the next 30 years!
James“
– Purnima Menon, PhD
Senior Director, Food and Nutrition Policy
Acting Senior Director, Transformation Strategies
International Food Policy Research Institute
“Dear Zihad, Zobair, Simon and the entire DATA team,
Let me also say a HUGE thank you on behalf of all of us – there is no way our work would have been as successful as it has been without the collaboration with all of you!
As you look forward to the next decade of DATA, we wish you all the very best and hope the collaborations with IFPRI will continue!
Warmest wishes,
Purnima.“
– Jennifer Coates, PhD
Associate Professor of Food Policy and Applied Nutrition
at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
and a Senior Researcher at the Tufts Feinstein International Center.
“Dear Zihad and the DATA family,
Apologies for the belated response to your wonderful message. I am so happy for all of you to have hit this huge milestone of 30 years of making a difference! While it does make me feel old to think I was part of the very first decade, I cherish the wonderful memories of the camaraderie and our work together. I learned so much from all of you and continue to be impressed by your dedication and resilience.
Here’s to many more years of DATA success! I hope we will all work together again soon.
Best wishes,
Jennie“
– Patrick Webb, PhD
Chief Nutritionist, USAID
“I wish DATA many happy returns on its 30th birthday, with many more to come! I have nothing but admiration and praise for the work you have done over these decades. Your team was instrumental in supporting my research on more than one occasion. Your professionalism (and friendship) have been much appreciated. Keep it going!
Cheers
Patrick“
– Nusrat Hossain
former Senior Research Analyst
IFPRI, PhD Candidate
“MashA’Allah. It feels like a personal milestone. I have learned so much from this organization and you, Zihad Bhai.“