ICDDR,B: A Star in the South This book is about ICDDR,B, a world class health research organization in Bangladesh. ICDDR,B is widely known for its discovery of ORS, which is considered as a medical miracle of the 21st century. Within Bangladesh, it is popularly known for its cholera hospitals in Dhaka and Matlab, where over 200,000 patients are treated every year, entirely free of charge. Despite many ups and downs and challenges ICDDR,B continues to thrive and be productive. Though international in nature, ICDDR, B is a Dhaka based organization with 99percent Bangladeshi staff. It is governed by a 17 member international Board of Trustees with three members from Bangladesh. ICDDRB solely depends on soft money and generous contributions from the Government of Bangladesh. This book has narrated the evolution of ICDDR,B, its successes, and the challenges it has faced. It is a must read for anyone with interest in the organization itself or in health and population research, and organizational issues, especially of international organizations in the developing countries.
Dr Abbas Bhuiya worked at ICDDR, B for over 35 years, since 1980. He did his BA Honours and MA in Statistics from Chittagong University in 1974 and 1976 respectively. He obtained his MA in Demography from Australian National Universin in 1984 and PhD from the same university in 1989. During his tong career at ICDDR,B, Dr Bhuiya has worked in various research and management capacities. He became an international professional level scientist in 1994. In 2010, Dr Bhuiya was appointed as the Deputy Executive Director of ICDDR, B- second in ICDDR, B's history and first Bangladeshi. From June 2012 to March 2013, he was Interim Executive Director of ICDDR,B making him the first Bangladeshi to be the chief of the organization. In addition to research, Dr Bhuiya has keen interest on broader organizational issues including fair management.