Professional and Leadership Skills and Strengths:
- Played leadership role in three national and regional bodies including a public company
- Strong leadership skills and visionary aptitude to lead multidisciplinary teams of experts, researchers and research support workers
- Ability to coordinate, manage, oversee and supervise operational aspects of the National Agricultural Research System (NARS) acquired through 30 years of work in various capacities, including the highest management position at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) with the responsibility of administering twelve NARS institutions of Bangladesh
- Comprehensive knowledge of operation and funding of national agricultural R&D and institutional diversity in NARS in the south Asian region.
- Ability to work with government functionaries, representatives and functionaries of donor agencies/international development partners, NGOs and the private sector understanding the operational mechanisms unique to each group/agency
- Expertise in project planning and documentation to secure government and external funding and research grant management
- Proficiency in program and project development, monitoring and evaluation
- Developing and sustainably maintaining linkages with the CGIAR (Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research) centers for effective and rewarding collaboration with agricultural research institutions and agencies in Bangladesh
- Skillful management of water resources for irrigation including analysis and management of drainage congestion
- Formulation of policy guidelines for the Government- Prepared Agricultural Policy 2018, Agri Extension policy 2020 and Agri Mechanization Policy 2018 (team member). The policies involve strong focus on food safety and quality aspect of food system.
- Delivered key note paper in national and regional scientific events
- Produced around 30 research publications in national and international journals in diversified fields of agriculture including food safety and quality.
Professional training:
Received professional trainings from home and abroad. The trainings include water management, research management, project planning process etc. Also received post doctoral research experience in Kansas State University, Manhattan, USA in 2001.
Key Professional Positions and Institutional Brief:
1. Position: Executive Director- CEO, (April 2017 to April 2020)
Organization: Krishi Gobeshona Foundation (KGF), Dhaka, Bangladesh
KGF(Agri Research Foundation) is a government sponsored non-profit organization under the Companies Act. It is a research grant making organization and responsible for among other things, management of short- and long-term research programs. It serves as a pluralistic entity where public, private, academia and NGOs have access to funding and undertakings in research programs based on national priority. Supported large number of research projects involving universities, research institutes in technology and knowledge development. The research projects includes post harvest management and value addition among many others.
2. Position: Team Leader (April 2014 to April 2017)
Organization: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of UN
Team Leader of “Mapping Exercise of Waterlogging in southwest of Bangladesh” (2014-16). It studied the root causes of water logging, affect on life and livelihood and suggestions for improvement. Recommended strategy consisting of prevention and coping. Team consisted of agronomist, fisheries, water resources engineer, sociologist and gender expert. The outcome was presented at the stakeholder level and included feed back received.
- Worked as team member of IFAD funded “Smallholder Agricultural Competitiveness Project (SACP)” for southern region formulation mission
- International Review Panel of Blue Gold program of the Netherlands Government (2015-16) in the southern coastal polders.
3.Position: Executive Chairman (May 2009 – December 2013)
Organization: Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC)
BARC is an apex public research coordinating body of 12 national research institutions in diversified commodities. The institution is established to plan, monitor, review research programs of the institutions. Executive Chairman is the highest research position of the country to fix research priority and lead agricultural research management of the country. It has also responsibility in resources allocation to its affiliated institutions and human resources development. Supported large number of research projects implemented by the universities, NARS. The research focus remained on priority areas including nutrition, safety and quality.
4.Position: Director, SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC), (June 2004-May 2009)
SAC is the inter-governmental body comprising eight countries in the south Asia and acted as CEO. Led professional team composed of experts recruited from eight member states. Organized number of regional programs in the member states.
