Biosafety Regulations for Biotech Researchers and Biosafety Practitioners

The Agriculture & Food Systems Institute’s South Asia Biosafety Program (SABP), in collaboration with Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (CVASU), organized a capacity building biosafety seminar in Bangladesh for regional scientists and academics. Spanning half a day, the event included presentations on biosafety regulations, SABP’s activities in Bangladesh, and the Bangladesh Biosafety Portal. Scientists and academics from the region, including researchers from the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Bangladesh Forest Research Institute, CVASU, the University of Chittagong, the University of Science and Technology Chittagong, and the University of Creative Technology Chittagong, numbered among the audience.

After a short opening ceremony, Dr. Andrew Roberts delivered a talk on the evolution in agriculture, from conventional to biotech research for crop improvement, and the corresponding introduction of biosafety regulations. The history of biosafety in Bangladesh and the current status of the Bangladesh biosafety regulatory system was also discussed. Dr. Aparna Islam followed up his presentation with an introduction to the South Asia Biosafety Program and an overview of its activities in Bangladesh. Before the floor was opened up for a lively and frank discussion, Dr. Roberts introduced the Bangladesh Biosafety Portal, an important resource for biosafety in Bangladesh.