Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Bangladesh: Perceptions of Local Communities

Abstract

Bangladesh is a designated partner of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which the largest international integretion and cooperation program after the marshal plan. This specific research aims to explore the opinions of Bangladeshi people regarding the income and development potentials due to this partnership. The impact of expected economies, expected raise FDI inflows, and expected educational develolpment on income potential has been analyzed while the mediating role of expected employment generation has been considered as well. The study survays a sample 460 citizens who are academicians, business people and senior students, economist, bureaucrats and people involved in policy making. The study finds that expected change in economies due to BRI significantly and positively effect potential income. Similarly, expected increase in FDI inflow and expected education due to BRI have positive association in enhancing employment. On the other hand, the expected change in employment has foud to mediate the relation between expected FDI and education to expected income and development of domestic people. However, the study also finds that expected change in economies and expected education does not hav e any direct impact on expected employment and income of domestic people respectively.