In 2000, IFES conducted a first-of-its-kind poll of Bangladeshi adults that measured their opinions about a range of social and political issues. At the time, Bangladeshi politics was dominated by conflict between its two major parties. Through the poll, IFES hoped to learn voters’ attitudes toward the country’s current political and economic situation and to document their policy preferences. The results were made available to political parties, the government and civil society to better inform them about voters’ concerns. Twenty-two percent of respondents said development should be the foremost concern of their country’s leaders, and 17 percent (the next largest group) said politicians should focus on improving the “law and order situation.”