What does it truly mean to live a good life? Beyond income and material wealth, how can societies ensure the well-being of every individual?

Inspired by these questions, Banglar Pathshala Foundation recently hosted the Inaugural Ceremony of the International Study Circle #14 on the theme: “Individual Well-being and Social Welfare”.

This program draws on pioneering theories of Nobel Laureate Professor Amartya Sen, Professor of Economics and Philosophy at Harvard University. SAJIDA Foundation’s Senior Research Advisor, Dr Sajeda Amin, joined the session as a Discussant, which was chaired by Professor Rehman Sobhan, Distinguished Economist, alongside, Professor Sabina Alkire – Director, Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (Keynote), Ms. Swati Narayan – Author & Academic and Mr. M. Syeduzzaman – Former Finance Minister, Bangladesh.

Ideas that emerged at the Inaugural Session:

• True progress lies in expanding human freedoms and real opportunities (Sen’s Capability Approach).
• Measures of quality-of-life demand ongoing refinement, self-assessment, and improvement
• Policies should adopt multidimensional measures to tackle inequality effectively. They must also address evolving cultural values, identities, and shifting societal priorities
• We need to advance our thinking on how individual, community, and ecological measures can be effectively integrated to balance local evidence with broader aggregation for meaningful analysis.

Through this study circle, young scholars are engaging with transformative ideas that challenge conventional thinking, equipping them to contribute meaningfully to society.