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Bangladesh and other developing nations are not prepared enough to take full
advantage of biotechnology, application of which is going to bring radical
changes in human societies in near future, April 2007.

The developing countries are not even ready to face the challenges ahead.

The observations were made on the second day of a three-day seminar
yesterday on 'Promotion of Biotechnology in Bangladesh: National and
International Perspective'. Ministry of Science and ICT, Dhaka University,
Brac University, Bangladesh Academy of Sciences, ICDDR,B, Incepta and Square
Pharmaceuticals organised the seminar, attended by scientists and experts at
home and abroad.

Increasing use of biotechnology would help face the challenges in the fields
of agriculture, health and livestock in the developing countries like
Bangladesh where population growth is high, but production is far behind,
experts noted.

Therefore, if these nations do not gear up to adapt biotech by training up
adequate manpower, conduct need-based researches and find ways to use this
technology at local level and formulate monitoring mechanism, they will lag
far behind, they said.

"Just in a decade or so, our life will be significantly influenced by
biotechnology. Many biotech drugs, medical services and vaccines are already
available in the market. We are also using biotech crops, such as soyabean,
but there is no special surveillance or regulatory mechanism in the country
to oversee the matter," Professor AK Azad of National Institute of
Cardiovascular Diseases said.

As there would be more and more biotech drugs, breakthroughs in vaccine
development, highly specific and sensitive biotech diagnostic reagents, the
developing countries need to be prepared for utilising this situation to
improve health and nutrition of the people, he said.

Stressing the need for preparing workforce on biotechnology to explore
opportunities, the biochemist said, "We shall have to keep watch on the
health and nutritional safety issues of the biotech drugs, crops, fish and
meat, and on the environmental exposure of the biotech materials."

By expanding the quality of biotechnology education, research and number of
students, Bangladesh can have sufficient skilled manpower to work at home,
Prof AK Azad noted. The country can also earn remittances, by exporting the
trained workforce to global market, he added.

Professor Ahmed A Azad of Brac University said that despite having bright
people, Bangladesh is lagging behind just due to lack of proper leadership,
political instability and lack of world-class research activities.

"For improved food security and health equity, biotechnology has become a
necessity," he said, adding that the brain drain of molecular scientists to
the developed countries will continue unless they are utilised at home.

Education and training in the developing nations are mainly donor-driven
instead of need-based, Professor Azad observed, adding that establishment of
drug research and development network in these countries is a must.
Traditional medicines and technologies should also be recognised, he said.

Professor Asma Ismail of Institute of Research Molecular Medicine of
Malaysia said without trying to compete with the developed countries, the
developing nations must look at their local needs before going for
biotechnology.

Abdul Awal Mintoo, chairman of East West Seed (Bangladesh) Ltd, called for
utilising the full potential of biotechnology, but cautioned that the
radical changes caused by the new technology will affect employment, trade
pattern and economy, mostly the poor and the underdeveloped countries.

"The eugenics revolution may transform social order so fast that it may push
many societies on the verge of chaos," he said.

Speaking at the seminar, Ministry of Science and ICT Secretary SM
Wahiduzzaman said that the government has already adopted national
biotechnology policy considering its necessity for poverty alleviation and
improvement of life.

Noting the lack of adequate public funds for research and human resources
development, he said the government would encourage public-private
partnership in this regard. He also pledged full support to develop the
existing National Institute of Biotechnology into a centre of excellence.

Professors Anwar Nasim from Pakistan, Mehmet Ozturk from Turkey, Dhaka
University Pro-Vice Chancellor Yusuf Haider, Incepta Pharmaceuticals
Managing Director A Muktadir, Square Agrobiotech Executive Nafisa Akther
Rouf, Brac University Professor Dr Shah Md Razzaque also spoke.

Bangladesh Rice Foundation Chairman M Sayeduzzaman and ICCDR,B Executive
Director Dr David Sack chaired the sessions.

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