Bangladesh: Agricultural Biotechnology Annual

The Government of Bangladesh has demonstrated a willingness to adopt and implement a modern agricultural policy framework and guidelines which support the safe and appropriate use of science and technology, including biotechnology, to help meet agricultural challenges. With support from the world’s scientific community, Bangladesh is seeking to play a role in the advancement of biotechnology research of new genetically engineered (GE) crop varieties, including rice, potato, eggplant, tomato, wheat, and cotton. GE research on various rice traits is widening with an aim to develop climate smart varieties, which is essential for the Bangladesh rice sector. However, the regulatory process for gene edited biotechnology in Bangladesh is at times insufficient, and the scientific community is demanding revisions to the existing guidelines and rules for a more efficient approval process for future GE crops. Bangladesh’s research and development of animal and microbial biotechnology continues to be limited.