The paper is an attempt to analyse development of primary education in Bangladesh in the 1990s. It studies different state, school and programme-based interventions undertaken in the country to make an ‘effective school’. On the basis of school, household and pupil-based cross-section data, empirical research shows that a set of basic inputs such as supply of instruction materials, adequate contact hours, a good mix of teaching practices, well-trained and motivated teachers is necessary to make the school effective. It is observed that the teachers in the non-State schools and NGO sector with lower salary levels are performing better. Therefore, further encouragement of non-State primary schools with more community participation may be an innovation in the right direction