BARC getsfirst woman chairperson

Dr Bhagya Rani Banik joined Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) yesterday as the executive chairperson.

She took the charge of the country's apex agro-research body as the first female head of the council in its over four-decade history.

Earlier, she had served Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) since June 2016 as the institution's first-ever woman director general. 

Dr Banik made significant contributions towards the development of improved crop varieties and production technology of rice, maize, millet, barley and spices. She has 37 scientific publications in different journals at home and abroad.

Born on December 31, 1958 in Comilla, she joined Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) on September 5, 1983 as a scientific officer and was promoted to the position of its director over the years.

Dr Banik obtained BSc Ag (Hons) degree from Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University in 1982 and post graduate degree from Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh in 1987.

She did her PhD in 2003 from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur.

On May 2, 2017, Dr Banik received The Daily Star-IPDC Unsung Women Nation Builders Award for her achievements as a distinguished agriculturist.

Meanwhile, BRRI Director (Administration) Dr Shahjahan Kabir took charge of the institute as its new DG yesterday.

He obtained his BSc (Hons) degree in 1987 and MSc in 1988 from Rajshahi University. He did his PhD degree on Geo-Statistical Modeling from Jahangirnagar University in 2011.