University of Rajshahi Researchers Launch Stat.BD, a New Research and Analytics Initiative

A group of young researchers from the Department of Statistics and Data Science, University of Rajshahi, has launched Stat.BD, an independent initiative working in research, statistics and data analytics.

The idea grew out of problems the team had repeatedly encountered while working in university research.

A researcher may have a strong question and useful data, but still struggle when the work reaches the stage of study design, statistical analysis or interpretation. In other cases, someone may know how to generate an output in statistical software without being fully confident about why a particular method was used or what the result actually means.

The researchers behind Stat.BD saw an opportunity to build something around that gap.

The initiative currently works with students, academics, researchers, independent researchers and professionals on research methodology, statistical analysis, survey and questionnaire design, data preparation, interpretation of findings, manuscript-related analysis and research mentorship. Depending on the project, members of the team work with tools including R, Python, SPSS, Stata and Excel.

For the team, however, the goal is not to produce statistical output. They also added, they want to train the researchers and the students with the proper analytical workflow, software and the methodology. So, they can ultimately understand the research and support their thesis themselves.

Muhtasim Munif Fahim, founder of Stat.BD, said the idea developed naturally from his own research experience.

Stat.BD did not really begin as a business idea, Fahim said. It came from what we kept seeing while doing research. Someone might have a good research question and good data, but the work gets stuck when it reaches the analytical stage. Sometimes the problem is choosing the right method. Sometimes the software gives an output, but the researcher is still unsure what that output actually means. We felt there was a real need for better guidance at that point.

Fahim completed his undergraduate and graduate studies in Statistics at the University of Rajshahi and is currently involved in research at the university's Data Science Research Lab, with interests in artificial intelligence, machine learning and applied statistics.

He said the team does not intend to keep Stat.BD limited to thesis, dissertation or student-project support.

We are starting on a small scale. Right now, our priority is to build a strong research culture and a reliable way of working, he said. But in the longer term, we want to develop Stat.BD into a professional research and analytics firm that can work not only with university researchers, but also with government and private organizations, development organizations and research teams in Bangladesh and abroad.

For Fahim, the university connection is also an important part of that ambition.

There are many young researchers at the University of Rajshahi developing serious skills in statistics, data science, machine learning and applied research. Those skills do not necessarily have to remain within a thesis, a publication or a classroom exercise. They can also be applied to real research problems. We are trying to create a platform where that can happen.

Stat.BD co-founder Naim Molla said one of the team's priorities is to distinguish between knowing how to use statistical software and understanding research.

Running a test in R or SPSS is often the easy part, Molla said. The more important question is whether that test actually makes sense for the research question, whether its assumptions are being met and how far the findings allow you to go. We do not want someone to leave with only a table or an output. They should understand the analysis well enough to explain it themselves.

That approach has also shaped the mentorship side of Stat.BD. The team is working on personalised learning plans based on a researcher's subject area, current skills and goals, covering areas such as statistics, research methodology, programming, data analysis and data science.

The initiative is also intended to create practical learning opportunities for younger researchers within the team.

Joyzit Sarkar, a junior researcher with Stat.BD, said working with real research problems provides a different kind of experience.

Statistics in a classroom and statistics with a real dataset can feel very different, he said. Real data can be messy, and the research question is not always as clearly defined as it is in a textbook. When you work through those problems with more experienced researchers, you learn not only the software but also how analytical decisions are made. That practical research experience is very valuable.

According to the team, projects are first reviewed in terms of their research question, data, methodological needs and analytical requirements before being assigned to a researcher whose experience is relevant to the work. More complex analyses may also receive an additional internal review.

The founders say academic integrity is another principle they want to establish from the beginning. Stat.BD does not accept work involving fabricated or manipulated data, p-hacking, examinations or graded assignments completed on behalf of students. The emphasis, they say, is on helping researchers conduct and understand their own work rather than replacing them in the research process.

Stat.BD currently operates as an independent researcher-led initiative and is not an official unit of the University of Rajshahi. Its connection with the university comes from the academic and research backgrounds of its founders and team members, many of whom have developed their research experience through the Department of Statistics and Data Science and research laboratories at the university.

The team believes there is considerable room in Bangladesh to connect research skills developed inside universities with wider academic, institutional and professional research.

For now, Stat.BD remains a small researcher-led venture. Its longer-term ambition is to expand its collaborations with universities, research organizations, development-sector institutions, government and private organizations, and multidisciplinary research teams, and eventually grow into a professional research and analytics firm based in Bangladesh with the capacity to contribute to both national and international research projects.