The Bangladesh Institute of Social Research (BISR) is a private social research organization aimed to conduct social research on various fundamental and critical social issues and to make the research findings available for better understanding of society and development. It aims to pursue different kinds of social research, render consultancy services on all kinds of social studies following both quantitative and qualitative methods impart training to the promising social researchers and research staff and development workers, giving technical assistance to different organizations in preparing and implementing social development projects and continue publications of research reports, books, journals etc. It has a mission to pursue social research for development giving emphasis on the socially excluded, disadvantaged and deprived sections of people. The organization wants to adhere to the needs-based and problem-oriented research including action and pilot research rather than going for theoretical and conceptual issues alone. The BISR operates through generation of income from pursuing social research, rendering consultancy services and imparting training to officials of different public and private organizations including NGOs.

Meanwhile, it has conducted several studies on socio-economic issues, rights issues, governance issues, labour unions, social impact assessments, people's participation, training needs assessment, project preparation, feasibility studies, micro-credit, microfinance and micro-enterprise, evaluation of the implemented projects, etc. The organization has worked for many national and international organizations including NORAD, CARE-B, Concern-Bangladesh, Inter-cooperation, IDE-Bangladesh, Commonwealth Trade Union Council (CTUC), Public Services International, South Asia Research and Development Initiative (SARDI), PSTC, BILS, HEED, RDRS etc.