Bangladesh marked a significant milestone in agricultural research with the inauguration of the country’s first Agro-Ecophysiology laboratory in Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University (SAU) on 11 January 2026, with financial support from the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF). This first ever laboratory is expected to play a crucial role in promoting sustainable agriculture by improving soil health and supporting the production of safe and nutritious food in the face of climate change.

The laboratory was inaugurated at the Dr Kazi Badruddoza Research Centre of SAU by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dr Md Abdul Latif. The initiative aims to strengthen research capacity in climate-resilient agriculture through advanced scientific analysis and modern farming technologies.

PKSF’s Deputy Managing Director Dr Akond Md Rafiqul Islam, attended the event as the Special Guest. Speaking at the ceremony, he highlighted that while research enjoys substantial funding in many countries, Bangladesh faces significant limitations in this area. Despite these constraints, he reaffirmed PKSF’s commitment to ensuring that research activities at agricultural universities continue uninterrupted, with PKSF extending all possible support within its capacity.

The Agro-Ecophysiology Laboratory has been established in the Department of Agricultural Botany at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University under PKSF’s Rural Microenterprise Transformation Project (RMTP) with implementation support from partner organization Wave Foundation. The overall supervision of the laboratory is being provided by Professor Dr Mohammad Mahbub Islam and Dr A K M Ruhul Amin of SAU.

Equipped with modern instruments, the laboratory will enable precise analysis of nutrient levels and harmful elements in soil and plants. It will also assess plant responses under stress conditions and facilitate the application of smart agriculture technologies, including the use of organic soil inputs and nanotechnology to improve soil health.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by several distinguished guests, including SAU Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Md Belal Hossain, Treasurer Professor Md Abul Bashar, Dean (Post-Graduate) Dr M Salahuddin M Chowdhury, Wave Foundation Executive Director Mohsin Ali, Assistant Director Nirmal Das, Director (Planning and Development) Professor Dr Md Sarwar Hossain, and Research Director Dr F M Aminur Rahman, among others.

Following the ceremony, PKSF’s Deputy Managing Director Dr Akond Mohammad Rafiqul Islam visited various research plots being implemented under the project.