Katalyst is willing to execute action-research for developing business services and distribution models in or around rural haats in some selected districts in Bangladesh which should clearly lead to improved SME competitiveness, creation of employment and reduction of poverty. With a view to that Katalyst undergone a series of consultative meetings with HB Consultants Limited to formulate a design for action research and appointed HB Consultants Limited as Consultant for that. The technical assistance (TA) service will include gathering the secondary data sources and prepare a overview of haat related projects currently executing by different organizations, undertake field visits in at least 11 haats and formulate a full faze action research proposal to identify the interventions. The action-research proposal should reveal the constraints and opportunities present in rural haat distribution and services to suggest potential (commercial) solutions to the constraints and opportunities with indications on possible strategies on how to achieve longer term objectives that are sustainable and scalable.

It's a quantitative and qualitative action-research proposal preparation work for developing business services and distribution models in or around rural haats in some selected districts in Bangladesh . A t least 11 markets of five categories such as local govt. regulated market, market regulated under the act of 1964, assembly market, retail market, and wholesale market from Bogura, Rajshahi and Rangpur districts will be studied to uncover the opportunities and explore the role of services (public and private) in rural haats. The aim is to make the systems of haats more efficient and work better for the stakeholders i.e. the farmers and traders. The research proposal will be developed as result of series of work which includes collection and review of literatures and ongoing projects, field visit and consultation meeting etc. After sharing with Katalyst and MART, India the proposal will be finalized. This field visit will explore the current situation of some selected haats and daily activities takes place into the haat including the flow of products as well as marketing dynamics.