BAAG calls for mandatory internship for all agricultural university students

The Bangladesh Academy of Agriculture (BAAG) has called for making internships mandatory for all students at the country's public agricultural universities.

The demand was made today (26 April) during a workshop titled "Need of Internship for Higher Education in Agriculture", held at the auditorium of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC).

At the event, speakers also emphasised the need for sufficient budget allocations and proper placement arrangements for internship programmes.

The workshop was organised by BAAG in collaboration with Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Gazipur Agricultural University, and Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University.

Presenting the keynote paper, Professor M Zulfikar Rahman of the Department of Agricultural Extension Education at BAU, stated that the primary objective of internship programmes is to bridge the gap between theoretical classroom learning and hands-on professional experience, thus preparing graduates to compete effectively in the job market.

"Currently, internship programmes are available in three faculties at BAU, two faculties each at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University and Gazipur Agricultural University, and one faculty at Sylhet Agricultural University."

According to university officials, faculties that have internship programs receive funding from the University Grants Commission (UGC) and their respective universities. Students typically receive a monthly stipend ranging from Tk9,000 to 15,000, depending on the university.

Speaking at the workshop, Professor Md Abdul Latif, vice-chancellor of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, said, "If we want to provide internships to 700 students at a rate of Tk15,000 each per month, we will need a significant budget. However, the education ministry has been reducing allocations. Without sufficient funding, internships will not be possible."

He also noted the challenges of integrating internships into the existing course curricula, which would require a national-level adjustment.

Professor GKM Mustafizur Rahman, vice-chancellor of Gazipur Agricultural University, highlighted the importance of placement coordination and the need for formal memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with industries.

He mentioned that many countries have mandatory agricultural internships and stressed the need to address fundamental issues to advance the program.

Special guest Professor AK Fazlul Haque Bhuiyan, vice-chancellor of BAU, emphasised that farmers are at the heart of agriculture.

"Students must gain practical insights into farmers' needs and the existing gaps," he said. "Students will have different interests—some in processing, some in extension—so internships should be tailored to their areas of interest."

Stressing the importance of funding, he said, "It's not that agriculture is underfunded. We have seen wastage in unnecessary projects. We need to redirect funds towards practical and impactful initiatives. However, without a well-designed internship program, no effective outcome will be achieved."

The workshop was presided over by Professor Lutfur Rahman, president of the Bangladesh Academy of Agriculture. The chief guest was Professor SMA Faiz, chairman of the UGC.

Other distinguished participants included Nazmun Nahar Karim, executive chairman of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council; Professor Abdul Halim, workshop coordinator, BAAG; Nathu Ram Sarker, executive director of the Krishi Gobeshona Foundation; ASM Rashedul Haque, former director general of the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute; and Professor M Jahiruddin, former dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at BAU.