BABG Calls for Swift Resolution of NIB Director General Appointment Complications
On Saturday, the Bangladesh Association of Biotechnology Graduates (BABG) held a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters' Unity to protest against the defamation and conspiracy targeting Professor Dr. Mohammad Shahidur Rahman, a skilled organizer and dedicated biotechnologist. The conference called for the immediate appointment of Dr. Rahman as the Director General of the National Institute of Biotechnology (NIB) to advance the country's biotechnology research and activities.
In a written statement, Dr. Mushtak Ibn Ayub, Associate Professor at the Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology at Dhaka University, warned that if Professor Dr. Mohammad Shahidur Rahman is not allowed to assume his position promptly, they would announce a series of protests, including work stoppages and human chains.
Other speakers at the press conference included Professor Umme Salma Zohra from Jahangirnagar University, Anwar Tarikul Islam, General Manager of TechnoWorth Associates, Ajay Roy, a faculty member at East West University, Associate Professor Md. Mahmudur Rahman from BUHS, and Abdus Samad Azad, CEO of Zenbit Health and Secretary of Publicity and Publication for BABG, as well as Rajib Shahriar, Executive of Acme Laboratories and alumni of Rajshahi University, and Sheikh Ashraf Siddique, an alumnus of Khulna University.
The speakers urged the government to expedite the transfer of responsibilities to Professor Dr. Mohammad Shahidur Rahman as the Director General of NIB. They highlighted that 29 universities in the country now have departments focused on biotechnology, graduating approximately 1,100 students each year. However, they criticized the lack of plans and initiatives to effectively utilize these graduates as skilled biotechnologists, attributing this gap to a prolonged leadership crisis.
The participants welcomed the appointment of Dr. Rahman—who has a background in biotechnology and extensive research experience—as the first-ever Director General of the central biotechnology agency in the country, the National Institute of Biotechnology (NIB), and acknowledged his contributions to the field.
They noted that Professor Dr. Mohammad Shahidur Rahman has played a crucial role in advancing biotechnology in Bangladesh. He diligently serves as the president of the Bangladesh Association of Biotechnology Graduates (BABG) and has been an advisor to multiple government committees, in addition to developing biotechnology syllabi for various universities in the country. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he significantly contributed to incorporating biotechnologists as volunteers in the healthcare sector and played a key role in the inclusion of biotechnology in the BCS examination, a long-standing demand of biotechnology graduates. His organization has been a vital force behind initiatives aimed at creating employment opportunities for biotechnologists in the country.
The press conference also highlighted Dr. Rahman's patriotic spirit, recalling how he provided safe shelter to hundreds of student protestors during the mass uprising of '24, ensuring their safety from police and thugs. Despite his unwavering support for students and the nation, a group has been spreading misinformation to obstruct his appointment.
