AI & data science for public good
An interdisciplinary AI research lab developing intelligent systems for constrained, multilingual, and public-sector environments.
Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Dhaka. Since 2016.
Welcome to the Data and Design Lab
Founded in 2016 within the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Dhaka, the Data and Design Lab is an interdisciplinary research laboratory that brings together data science, artificial intelligence, statistical inference and human-centred design to address complex societal challenges.
Research Focus
Four areas where we bring data, AI and human-centred design together. Follow a branch to explore its projects.
Featured projects
Bangla-first AI systems built with and for the people who use them.
TaritBandhu
A Bangla-first conversational AI that helps citizens find electricity service information and move through service processes in natural Bangla.
Status: Completed · Learn more →
GanitBandhu
A Bangla-speaking AI math tutor for students in Grades 4 to 6. It gives one problem at a time, checks the answer, offers gentle hints and adjusts the difficulty as the learner improves.
Status: Being tested in schools across Bangladesh · Learn more →
Ongoing Projects
Digital projects for the Liberation War Museum
Systems we are building to help the Liberation War Museum preserve, manage and share the history of 1971.
Oral History Archive
More than 65,000 eyewitness stories of 1971, recorded by school students from their elders, in one searchable archive. Stories can be found by person, school or place, from 8 divisions down to the village.
Task Management System
One system for the museum’s daily work, now in trial across 4 roles and 10 departments. Tasks have owners, priorities and deadlines, with four levels of approval, live dashboards and reports.
Digital Archive
A digital home for the museum’s collection. Every object has a full record of identity, condition and ownership, viewable in English, Bangla or both, with role-based access for staff.
Recent works
Our latest reports, papers and book chapters.
AI Readiness Assessment and Tailored Training Module Design for Administrative Officers of the Government of Bangladesh
Zaber, M., Modhu, E., Ahmed, B., Islam, M. T., Akter, S., Chowdhury, N. N., Ahmed Rumee, S. T., & Hoque, M. M.
BIAM Foundation Research Centre, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Read the full report →Network Dynamics of Bangladesh Inland Waterways Augmented with Complex Network Analysis of Vessels and Connectivity
Tabassum, F., Islam, H., Abdullah, M. S., & Zaber, M. I.
Visual Sensing and Ubiquitous Computing, pp. 141-152. CRC Press.
Effectiveness of National ID as a Unique Identifier for Customer Onboarding in Financial Services in Bangladesh: A Survey
Pervez, M. S., Adnan, M. N., Rahman, I., Zaber, M. I., Tanveer, S., & Rumee, A.
Computer and Information Science, 19(2).
TaritBandhu: A Human-Centered Conversational Agent for Electricity Customers in Bangladesh
Zaber, M., Biswas, M., Noor, T. S. A., Nishanto, D., Sobhan, M. M. B., & Rumee, S. A.
Understanding Challenges of Liver Data Governance for Providing Mobile App-Based Liver Care Services in Developing Countries Like Bangladesh
Sayed, M. A., Hossien Molla, M. A., Hasan, R., Mim, T. A., Karim, M. F., & Zaber, M. I.
International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, pp. 120-138. Springer Nature Switzerland.