BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health

Short Biography

Farzana Misha is a development economist with experience spanning over 14 years. She specializes in impact evaluations employing both experimental and quasi-experimental methodologies and has conducted several studies using mixed-method approaches, Participatory Action Research (PAR), community engagement study design, and other research techniques. Her research draws upon a multidisciplinary approach that incorporates economics, public health, climate change, and rigorous impact evaluation techniques. Her extensive background encompasses a profound understanding of complex, multisectoral development programs, with a particular emphasis on impoverished, marginalized, and climate-vulnerable communities. Her professional journey encompasses notable collaborations with prominent organizations, including BRAC, BRAC University, the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), and BRAC Uganda, as well as engagements with the ISS at Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands. She has also leveraged her expertise as a consultant on multiple projects affiliated with the International Finance Cooperation (IFC), Bangladesh; BRAC International; and Save the Children, Uganda. Throughout her career, Farzana has made significant contributions to academic literature. Her work extends to authoring numerous national and international books and book chapters, which have been featured in several esteemed, peer-reviewed journals. She received her bachelor’s degree at Dhaka University, Bangladesh, and her post-graduation degree at the University of New South Wales, Australia, both in economics. She received her Ph.D. at the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS), Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Module(s) taught (in MPH)

MPH 520: Quantitative Research Methods
MPH 531: Health Economics & Health Care Financing

Current Projects

1.	Connecting Climate Minds
Donor: Imperial College London, UK
Role: Regional PI

2.	Climate Adaptation and Climate-Driven Migration in South Asia: Building an International Research Network for Long-Term Impact
Donor: Harvard University, USA
Role: Co-PI

3.	Effective Digital Health Platform for Sexual and Reproductive Health & Rights (SRHR) Services: A Mixed-methods Approach to Understanding User Experiences, Needs, and Rights in Bangladesh
Donor: Institute of Development Studies (IDS), UK
Role: PI

Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications

1.	Misha, F.; Sitwat. S; Wagner, N.; Bedi, A. (2022), “Building resilience in the chars of Bangladesh: An impact assessment”, Journal of International Development, Online ISSN:1099-1328 https://doi.org/10.1002/jid.3653
2.	Margaret McConnell, Mansha Mahajan, Sebastian Bauhoff, Kevin Croke, Stephane Verguet, Marcia C Castro, Kheya Melo Furtado, Abha Mehndiratta, Misha F., Sabina Faiz Rashid, and Richard Cash (2020): “How are health workers paid and does it matter? Conceptualizing the potential implications of digitizing health worker payments in LMICs”. BMJ Global Health http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2021-007344
3.	Digital Health and Rights Project Consortium: P. Addo, E. Ayeh, J. E. G. Castro, G. Caswell, T. D. Chau, Sara LM Davis, D. D. Dong, A. Faiza, Tabitha Ha, T. Imalingat, S.H. Imtiaz, Maria B. Jimenez, I. Kpodo, K. Large, A. A. Maleche, F. Misha, N. Mjwana, A. Muthui, T.Pham, Mike Podmore, S. F. Rashid, T. J. Sandset, C. González-Uribe and N. Were, (2022). “Towards digital justice: participatory action research in global digital health”, BMJ Global Health, http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2022-009351
4.	Misha, F; Raza, W; Ara, J; Poel, E (2019): “How far does a big push really push? Long-term effects of an asset transfer program on employment trajectories”. Economic Development and Cultural Change 68:1, 41-62. https://doi.org/10.1086/700556 
5.	Raza, W.; Das, N.; Misha, F., (2012): “Can ultra-poverty be sustainably improved? Evidence from BRAC in Bangladesh”, Journal of Development Effectiveness, 4:2, 257-2764 https://doi.org/10.1080/19439342.2012.686046
6.	Biswas, S., Nasar, S., Nowshin, N., Imtiaz, S. H., Hossain, M. R., Jabbar, A., Nadim, A. S. M., Islam, M. R., Misha, F., & Rashid, S. F. (2022). Methodological Challenges in Conducting Sexual and Reproductive Health Research Among Young Males in Bangladesh: Reflections from a Nationwide Mixed Methods Study. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 21. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069221120341
7.	Misha, F;(2020), ‘The Effect of Integrated Safety Net Programs in Bangladesh and Uganda’; Erasmus University Rotterdam, ISBN: 978-90-6490-127-0, The Netherlands
8.	Sulaiman, M; Misha, F; (2016) “Comparative Cost-Benefit Analysis of programs for the Ultra-poor in Bangladesh”; 1st January 2017, Adorn publications, ISBN-10: 9842005151 
9.	Khan. F., Misha.  F., Murshid. N., Rabbani, A. and Talukder, B. (2023), ‘The wellbeing of garment workers in Bangladesh during COVID 19 - does gender matter?’, Int. J. of Gender Studies in Developing Societies (forthcoming)
10.	Misha, F. et al (2023 forthcoming),’ Using Mobile Financial Services to Improve Community Health Workers' Efficiency During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Dhaka, Bangladesh’, Inoculating Cities: Case Studies of the Urban Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Elsevier.
11.	Bhattacharya, D; Misha, F;(2015), “China and the least developed countries”; “China’s WTO accession Reassessed”; Vol:58. Chapter 18, Pages474, Routledge

Other Publications

1.	 Misha, F, “Our half-life of choking on polluted air”, 17th February, 2023, The Daily Star
2.	Chowdhury, M., Misha, F, “Covid-19 and the missing data conundrum”, 19th May 2020, The Daily Star.
3.	Misha, F., Shah, D, ‘Resettling the Unsettled: Practicalities of relocating Rohingyas to Bhasan Char’, 9th June 2019, The Daily Star. Also, in the IPS news agency.
4.	Misha. F, Sulaiman, M., ‘Issues of Digitization of Salary Payments in RMG factories’, 10th March 2019, The Financial Express

Awards

She recently received a Covid-19 Learning, Evidence, and Research Programme for Bangladesh (CLEAR), a FCDO funded competitive grant (GBP£100,000), as the principal investigator for the project 'Effective Digital Health Platform for Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) Services: A Mixed-methods Approach to Understanding User Experiences.'

Farzana Misha

Short Biography

Module(s) taught (in MPH)

Current Projects

Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications

Other Publications

Awards

Links

Research Interests

Education