Atiya Rahman, PhD

Research Fellow

Atiya Rahman, PhD, is a Research Fellow at the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD).

Dr Rahman started her research career as a Research Associate at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD). Subsequently, she joined the Research and Evaluation Division (RED), BRAC. Her last appointment was at BIGD. During her career, she has been involved with designing and implementing evaluation research projects on diverse development issues, including poverty, skill development and urban development.

She holds a Master’s in Development Economics from the University of East Anglia (UEA) and a PhD from the same university.

Evidence and Insights

Graduation Through Credit? Long-Run Impacts of a Hybrid Ultra-Poor Graduation Program in Bangladesh

Date: 2026

Author(s): Ahmed, Shaila; Hossain, Marjan; Hossain, Muhammad Towkir; Rahman, Atiya; and Sulaiman, Munshi

Publisher: BIGD

Journal Article

A Re-Examination of the Relationship Between Plot Size and Productivity: The Case of Bangladesh

Date: 2025

Author(s): Das, Narayan; Nisat, Rafia; and Rahman, Atiya

Publisher: The Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics

Book/Book Chapter

Recovery with Distress: Unpacking COVID-19 Impact on Livelihoods and Poverty in Rural Areas and Urban Low-Income Settlements of Bangladesh

Date: 2024

Author(s): Rahman, Hossain Zillur; Rahman, Atiya; Islam, Md Saiful; Faruk, Avinno; Matin, Imran; Wazed, Mohammad Abdul; and Zillur, Umama

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Journal Article

The Impact of Entrepreneurship Training and Credit on the Labour Market Outcomes of Disadvantaged Young People

Date: 2024

Author(s): Khan, Tahsina Naz; Bhattacharjee, Anindita; Das, Narayan; Hossain, Marzuk A.N.; Rahman, Atiya; Tabassum, Asma

Publisher: Development in Practice

Journal Article

Labour Market Outcomes and Child Marriage: Evidence From BRAC’s Skills Training Programme

Date: 2023

Author(s): Rahman, Atiya; Bhattacharjee, Anindita; Rahman, Rehnuma

Publisher: Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies

Journal Article

Graduation Approach to Poverty Reduction in the Humanitarian Context: Evidence From Bangladesh

Date: 2023

Author(s): Rahman, Atiya; Bhattacharjee, Anindita; Nisat, Rafia; Das, Narayan

Publisher: Journal of International Development

Journal Article

Bangladesh and COVID-19: Reversals and Resilience

Date: 2022

Author(s): Rahman, Atiya; Jahan, Nusrat; Matin, Imran; Rahman, Hossain Zillur

Topic(s): COVID-19

Publisher: IDS Bulletin

Policy Brief

Education Life of Children During COVID-19: Trends in Learning Loss, Digital Inclusion, Mental Health, and Child Labour

Date: 2022

Author(s): Rahman, Hossain Zillur; Rahman, Atiya; Islam, Md. Saiful; Faruk, Avinno; Kabir, Eradul; Matin, Imran; Wazed, Mohammad Abdul; Zillur, Umama; Hossain, Md. Billal; Haque, Md. Masudul

Topic(s): COVID-19, Skills and Jobs

Publisher: BIGD,Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC)

Working Paper

Recovery With Distress: Unpacking COVID-19 Impact on Livelihoods and Poverty in Bangladesh

Date: 2022

Author(s): Rahman, Hossain Zillur; Rahman, Atiya; Islam, Md. Saiful; Faruk, Avinno; Matin, Imran; Wazed, Mohammad Abdul; Zillur, Umama

Topic(s): COVID-19, Economic Development

Publisher: United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research

Report

COVID-19 vs. UPG: Evidence From the 2007 Cohort in Bangladesh

Date: 2021

Author(s): Rahman, Atiya; Bandiera, Oriana

Topic(s): BRAC Programs, Ultra-poor Graduation, COVID-19

Publisher: BIGD

Policy Brief

Evidence to Action: COVID-19 and the Deepening Learning Crisis – How Can We Build Forward Better?

Date: 2021

Author(s): Atiya Rahman, Eradul Kabir, Nusrat Jahan, and Md Saiful Islam

Topic(s): COVID-19, Skills and Jobs

Publisher: BIGD

Journal Article

A Good Mix Against Ultra-poverty? Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) in Bangladesh

Date: 2021

Author(s): Rahman, Atiya; Bhattacharjee, Anindita; Das, Narayan

Topic(s): Ultra-poor Graduation, BRAC Programs

Publisher: Review of Development Economics

Report

Livelihoods, Coping and Recovery During COVID-19 Crisis: Evidence from Three Rounds of PPRC-BIGD Survey

Date: 2021

Author(s): Rahman, Hossain Zillur; Rahman, Atiya; Zillur, Umama; Matin, Imran; Das, Narayan; Wazed, Mohammad Abdul; Hossain, Billal; Mahmood, Sakib; Ahmed, Shakil; Haque, Masudul

Topic(s): COVID-19, Economic Development

Publisher: BIGD,Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC)

Report

SMEs During COVID-19: Business Activities, Employability, and Stimulus Package

Date: 2021

Author(s): Islam, Asadul; Rahman, Atiya; Nisat, Rafia; Khondoker, Zarine Anan

Topic(s): Economic Development, COVID-19

Publisher: BIGD

Case Study

Evidence Driven Approach to Increase Access to Hand Hygiene

Date: 2021

Author(s): Clark, Alexander; Ahmed, Arshae; Rahman, Atiya; Siddiqua, Shafqat Aurin

Topic(s): BRAC Programs, COVID-19

Publisher: BRAC

Working Paper

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Small and Medium Enterprises in Bangladesh

Date: 2020

Author(s): Islam, Asadul; Rahman, Atiya; Nisat, Rafia

Topic(s): Economic Development, COVID-19

Publisher: BIGD

Report

Livelihoods, Coping and Recovery During COVID-19 Crisis (Phase II)

Date: 2020

Author(s): Zillur Rahman, Hossain; Rahman, Atiya; Zillur, Umama; Matin, Imran; Gain, Sabrina Miti; Mohammad, Fatema; Ahmed, Shakil

Topic(s): COVID-19, Economic Development

Publisher: BIGD,Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC)

Working Paper

How Sustainable Are the Impacts of Vocational Training?: Evidence From BRAC’s Intervention

Date: 2018

Author(s): Atiya Rahman, Anindita Bhattacharjee, Rehnuma Rahman, Zion Rabbi Samadder

Topic(s): BRAC Programs, Skills and Jobs, Economic Development

Publisher: BIGD

Journal Article

Changes in Extreme Poverty in Bangladesh (2000–2015): Trend, Dynamics, and Implications for Research and Interventions

Date: 2018

Author(s): Matin, Imran; Rahman, Atiya

Topic(s): BRAC Programs, Economic Development, Ultra-poor Graduation

Publisher: Practical Action Publishing

Working Paper

Need Assessment of the Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals

Date: 2017

Author(s): Shatil, Tanvir; Saha, Polin Kumar; Rahman, Atiya

Topic(s): Humanitarian

Publisher: BRAC Research and Evaluation Division

Working Paper

The Effects of Skill Training on Livelihoods: Evidence from BRAC’s Intervention on School Dropout Adolescents

Date: 2017

Author(s): Rahman, Rehnuma; Rahman, Atiya; Samadder, Zion Rabbi; Bayes, Abdul

Topic(s): Skills and Jobs, BRAC Programs, Economic Development

Publisher: BRAC Research and Evaluation Division

Book/Book Chapter

Livelihood of Slum-Dwellers Findings From Baseline Survey of Ultra-Poor Program

Date: 2016

Author(s): Jimi, Nusrat Abedin; Rahman, Atiya; Ahmad, Sibbir; Ara, Jinnat; Bhattacharjee, Anindita

Topic(s): BRAC Programs, Cities, Ultra-poor Graduation, Economic Development

Publisher: BRAC Research and Evaluation Division

Working Paper

Story of Rana Plaza Survivors and BRAC’s Support

Date: 2015

Author(s): Rahman, Atiya; Mehrin, Nawra; Mallick, Utpal; Mukta, Umme Salma

Topic(s): BRAC Programs

Publisher: BRAC Research and Evaluation Division

UPG & Me: 20 Years of the Graduation Approach | People, Stories, & Dreams–My Journey Beyond Numbers: Atiya Rahman

6 November 2022

Atiya Rahman shares the transformative journey from relying solely on data to understanding the nuanced realities of the Ultra Poor Graduation program, discovering the power of personal stories and the complexity of socioeconomics in action.

Handwashing Practice in the Context of the Pandemic in Bangladesh: What We Know So Far

20 January 2021

Exploring the personal and structural barriers to proper handwashing practices during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh, this blog highlights BRAC's innovative approach to behavior change and the programmatic interventions aimed at promoting handwashing as a preventive measure against the virus.