Field Immersion Study during COVID-19 in Bangladesh

This paper explores how the remote study method could be utilized during COVID-19. During the COVID-19 pandemic, most countries faced the COVID-19 pandemic, including Bangladesh. The daily activities significantly dropped during the pandemic in the country. Moreover, it also affects research activities. However, the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD) took the initiative to start remotely conducting fieldwork with the help of digital technology. For example, the Master of Development Studies (MDS) students of BRAC University conducted remote fieldwork. This remote fieldwork was conducted between 2021 and 2022 in Bangladesh. The students were required to complete this fieldwork to complete the poverty course, which was a part of the academic curriculum of the MDS. The paper focuses on the methods, learning strategies, and experiences gained from a remotely conducted field investigation in Bangladesh during COVID-19. The research used qualitative methods to collect data. Moreover, the study used secondary documents to support the paper. Based on this experience of remotely conducted fieldwork by the students of BRAC University, the paper claims that research methods can be modified or added innovatively according to the local culture and environment. Finally, the paper suggests that this type of innovative remote research method could be applied during the pandemic in the future.