Bangladesh Academy of Sciences

Bangladesh Academy of Sciences The Bangladesh Academy of Sciences is a national learned society based in Dhaka that promotes scientific research, recognizes scholarly excellence, and advises policymakers. It was established shortly after Bangladesh's independence and functions among other institutions to foster collaboration with bodies such as United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, World Health Organization, International Council for Science, Royal Society, and regional academies. The academy engages with universities, research institutes, and ministries including University of Dhaka, University of Chittagong, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, and Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute.

History

The academy was founded in the aftermath of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War and the 1972 Constitution of Bangladesh era, drawing founding fellows who had associations with Indian Statistical Institute, Imperial College London, Columbia University, University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, and Harvard University. Early leadership included scientists trained at institutions such as Kern Institute, Royal Society of Chemistry, and research centers like CERN. Over subsequent decades the academy developed links with the Commonwealth Science Council, Asian Science and Technology Foundation, TWAS, and national programs linked to Bangladesh Krishi Gobeshona Foundation and Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. Historical milestones intersect with national initiatives such as the Fifth Five Year Plan and public health responses including collaborations that invoked actors like Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Médecins Sans Frontières.

Organization and Governance

Governance follows a council structure with elected officers mirroring models used by National Academy of Sciences (United States), Royal Society, and Indian National Science Academy. The academy's statutes define roles similar to those at Academia Sinica, including a President, Vice Presidents, and subject-specific sections reflecting ties to institutes like Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture, Atomic Energy Research Establishment, and Bangladesh Meteorological Department. Committees coordinate with agencies such as Ministry of Science and Technology (Bangladesh), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Bangladesh), and international partners including Global Environment Facility, World Bank, and Asian Development Bank. Administrative operations maintain relationships with policy forums like the Parliament of Bangladesh and consultative bodies modeled after Science Policy Research Unit and advisory mechanisms seen in United Kingdom Cabinet Office.

Membership and Fellows

Membership categories include fellows, associate fellows, and corresponding members, reflecting practices at National Academy of Sciences (India), Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, and American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Notable fellows have held positions or affiliations with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Medical College, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, BRAC University, Aga Khan University, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, and research laboratories such as Pheromone Research Laboratory and Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute. Election to fellowship recognizes contributions comparable to awards like the Nobel Prize, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, Padma Shri, and regional honors such as the Ekushey Padak. The academy maintains registries and convenes convocations similar to ceremonies at Pontifical Academy of Sciences.

Programs and Activities

Programs span capacity building, science policy advice, and public engagement with counterparts including International Development Research Centre, United Nations Development Programme, Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research, and UNICEF. Activities include organizing symposia modeled after Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings, workshops in partnership with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, training programs akin to Commonwealth Scholarship Commission fellowships, and thematic networks with Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change-linked researchers. The academy runs awards and lectures named in the tradition of Rumford Prize, Copley Medal, and national prizes like Independence Day Award to promote disciplines tied to institutions including Dhaka Medical College, National Institute of Biotechnology, and Bangladesh Forest Research Institute. Outreach includes science festivals, policy briefs for bodies such as Bangladesh Bank and collaborations with non-governmental actors like BRAC and Gonoshasthaya Kendra.

Publications and Research Contributions

The academy publishes journals, proceedings, and policy monographs analogous to publications from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Nature Communications, and Science. Its editorial initiatives have produced special issues on topics relating to Bangladesh Delta Plan, Cyclone Sidr, Rohingya refugee crisis, Arsenic contamination in groundwater, and public health studies connected to cholera and tuberculosis. Research contributions include interdisciplinary reports on climate resilience comparable to work cited by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and collaborations resulting in datasets used by Food and Agriculture Organization and World Meteorological Organization. The academy fosters graduate scholarships and co-authors white papers with partners such as Institute of Developing Economies, Asian Development Bank Institute, and International Food Policy Research Institute.

Category:Scientific organisations based in Bangladesh Category:National academies