Gazipur City Correspondent

The Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) has inaugurated the Consultation Meeting with Agricultural Scientists and Internal Research Review and Program Planning Workshop-2026 to strengthen and modernize agricultural research through greater collaboration and innovation.

The inaugural session was held on Tuesday, at 10:00 a.m. at the Kazi Badruddoza Auditorium of BARI in Gazipur. The workshop brought together senior officials, scientists, and researchers from the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Gazipur Agricultural University (GAU), National Academy for Agricultural Training (NATA), Seed Certification Agency (SCA), and several other agricultural organizations.

The workshop aimed to review the research activities implemented during the 2025–2026 fiscal year, assess the experiences and achievements gained, and formulate new research programs for the 2026–2027 fiscal year.

During the event, it was revealed that BARI scientists have so far developed 681 high-yielding crop varieties (including hybrids), disease-resistant, and climate-resilient varieties, along with 692 production technologies, bringing the total number of innovations to 1,373 technologies.

The inaugural session was chaired by Dr. Rafiqul Islam, Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, while Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid, Adviser to the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, attended as the Chief Guest.
In his keynote address, the Chief Guest emphasized that agricultural research must respond to the changing needs of the time.

The welcome address was delivered by Dr. Md. Manjurul Kadir, Director General of BARI. At the beginning of the workshop, Dr. Faruk Ahmed, Director (Research), BARI, presented the keynote paper highlighting BARI's research achievements and ongoing activities.

Representatives from participating institutions also presented their respective organizational activities, including Prof Dr. G.K.M. Mustafizur Rahman, Vice-Chancellor of Gazipur Agricultural University; Dr. Md. Rafiqul Islam, Director General of BRRI; Md. Saiful Azam Khan, Director General of NATA; and Dr. Md. Saiful Alam, Director of the Seed Certification Agency (SCA).

Among those present were Dr. Reshma Sultana, Director (Training and Communication), BARI; Dr. Habib Mohammad Naser, Director (Planning and Evaluation); Dr. Nirmal Kumar Dutta, Director of the Tuber Crops Research Centre; Dr. Kawsar Uddin Ahmad, Director of the Horticulture Research Centre, along with senior officials and scientists from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC), and other agricultural research institutions.

Dr. Md. Mosharraf Hossain Molla, Director (Service and Supply), BARI, thanked all participants and urged researchers and stakeholders to ensure the rapid dissemination of research outcomes and technologies to farmers across the country.