Pranab Kumar Panday is Professor in the Department of Public Administration, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh. He has also served as Adjunct Professor at Central Queensland University, Australia, for three years. Having taught and conducted research for over 27 years, he specialises in local government, public administration, public policy, public sector management, and gender and governance. His studies concentrate on social accountability, public involvement, and policy changes implemented in underdeveloped nations. Dr. Panday has written extensively—19 books, over 50 research papers—and has participated in more than fifty national and international consulting projects with UNDP, SDC, USAID, UN Women, and World Vision. In Bangladesh, he has undertaken pioneering studies on social accountability systems, women's political involvement, and local and urban government. Among the various research grants Dr. Panday has received are programs sponsored by the University Grants Commission of Bangladesh, University of Rajshahi and foreign bodies like IDS, and AUS-AID. He has given presentations at several international conferences on public administration and local and urban government, and his work is well-known. He is also a co-author of various policy papers and academic books.
A. H. M. Kamrul Ahsan is currently Professor in the Department of Public Administration, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh. Having a background in public administration reforms, Dr. Ahsan emphasises citizen involvement in governance and accountability systems. Local government systems, public sector accountability, and the function of civil society organisations in governance pique his research interests. His work has resulted in several peer-reviewed publications.