Sakib Mahmood, PhD, is an Assistant Professor and Research Fellow at the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), BRAC University.
Dr Mahmood’s research focuses on how social norms and structural barriers – particularly those related to gender – influence economic behaviour and access to opportunity. Based in Bangladesh, his work combines empirical analysis with field-based research to inform the design of programs and policies. He studies how gender roles and power dynamics affect information sharing, decision-making, and labour market participation. His research has addressed a range of topics, including early marriage, intimate partner violence, the reintegration of returnee migrants, and women’s access to digital employment. A central feature of his work is the use of randomized evaluations to assess low-cost interventions such as media campaigns, incentive programs, and skills training. Across these areas, his goal is to produce evidence that is both academically rigorous and directly relevant to policy and practice.
Dr Mahmood received his BA in Applied Mathematics and Economics, and his MS and PhD in Agricultural and Resource Economics, all from the University of California, Berkeley. He has been affiliated with BIGD since completing his PhD in 2020.
