Fourth International Plant Tissue Culture Conference Inaugurated

Austin Nov-02-01: Dr.  Abdul Moyeen Khan, the Minister for information, former Professor of Dhaka University inaugurated the Fourth International Plant Tissue Culture Conference on last Thursday, the first of November at the Department of Botany, Dhaka University. Also present as special guests in the inauguration ceremony were Mr. Lutfar Rahman Khan, the State Minister for Science and Technology   and Mr. A N M Ehsanul Huq, the State Minister for Education. 

As against expected one hundred, only 30 foreign delegates  from Bhutan, Germany, India, Iran, Japan, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka,  Syria, Trinidad and USA turned up for the conference, largely due to troubled situation in the  International arena.  

The Minister urged the scientists with specialty in tissue culture and genetic engineering to evolve varieties of food crops with improved agronomic characters and high productivity. He said that it's high time that scientists give something substantial in return to the people whose tax money makes it possible for the research institutes and universities to carry out their research activity. He praised IRRI for the contribution it made in evolving rice varieties suitable for marginal land.

Besides the two state ministers, the meeting was addressed by the Association's President, Professor Syed Hadiuzzaman and  the Organizing Secretary, Dr.  M. Imdadul Hoque. 

Professor Ahmad S. Islam, the former President of the Association, who now lives in the USA,  regretted his inability to attend the conference and sent his self-composed poem to mark this historic occasion. Please click here to access to the poem.