BINA and scientist win international award

Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) has been awarded the 'Outstanding Achievement Award' by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for its outstanding contribution to mutation breeding. In addition, Dr Shamshunnahar Begum, Head of the Department of Plant Breeding and Chief Scientific Officer, has received the 'Women in Plant Mutation Breeding' award for her outstanding contributions to plant mutation breeding and related biotechnology.

Rafael Mariano Gracie, Director General of the IAEA at the IAEA Headquarters in Vienna, Austria, on 20 September 20 formally presented the awards to Muhammad Abdul Muhith, Ambassador of Bangladesh to Austria.

Earlier in 2014, BINA's current director-general Dr Mirza Mofazzal Islam received the IAEA Outstanding Achievement Award in Mutation Breeding.

He said, "BINA's scientists use nuclear energy, mutation breeding, conventional breeding and other advanced techniques and have developed a total of 117 high yielding and high-quality varieties, including 83 mutant varieties of 18 different crops. In recognition of all these contributions, BINA and BINA scientists have been awarded at various times by local and international organisations."