**To be added, smaple data** A joint Agreement on Science and Technology was signed by the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh (GoB) and the Government of the United States of America (USA) in 2001 for creation of an Endowment Fund for Applied Research in Natural Sciences focused on Food Security. The joint agreement was later amended and according to the amended Agreement signed on 13 April 2005 (attached herewith as Annex XVI), the GoB will use monetized proceeds to fund for the establishment of the BAS-USDA Endowment for Applied Research in the Natural Sciences. Income generated by the Endowment will support applied research in the natural sciences that focuses on solving problems of food security and development of trade capacity of Bangladesh for maximizing trade opportunities in the light of the Doha Round of WTO Negotiations. For this purpose BAS will solicit, monitor and evaluate research proposals which will then be forwarded to Agricultural Counselor, USDA, New Delhi, for concurrence following which the recommended proposals will be implemented by BAS. Upon concurrence of the GoB, successful candidates will be notified by BAS and the list of successful candidates will be posted in BAS website on the Internet. Funds from the Endowment will be released directly by the Bangladesh Academy of Sciences to the successful recipients or the grantee institutions. Significant project accomplishments will be disseminated to the general public in Bangladesh. **Establishment of BAS-USDA Endowment Program** The Bangladesh Academy of Sciences (BAS) will establish a BAS-USDA Endowment Program (BUEP) to be governed by a Board of Trustees (BoT) constituted by BAS Council. An Endowment Fund of BDT Tk 817 million was given to the GoB by the US Government under this Agreement for supporting research and the exchange of information. The USDA is responsible for administering the Fund. The Bangladesh Academy of Sciences is responsible for the management of BAS-USDA Endowment Fund for implementing BAS-USDA Research and Development (R&D) Programs in Bangladesh. Both public and private institutions/organizations are eligible for participation in this Program. The BoT will open and operate a separate BUEP Account to support R&D activities. It will also define the financial management and program funding policies. **Scope and Objectives of BUEP** The BAS-USDA Endowment Program is an independent entity and possesses all powers necessary to carry out the activities in order to achieve the objectives of the Agreement, including, but not limited to, the following: • To promote and support, by funding or otherwise, the priority R&D activities in natural sciences with the objective of ensuring food security and income earning of the poor; • To encourage and support exchange of information and expertise. Within the power of the Endowment fund, the BUEP can provide funding support for all of its priority R&D activities. The objective of the BUEP has, therefore, been to promote goals and objectives of the Joint Agreement of 2005 on Science and Technology between the GoB and the US Government and to provide research funds in areas specified in the Agreement. **Institutions/Organizations Eligible for Participation in BUEP** Institutions/Organizations eligible for participation in the BUEP include public and private universities, R&D organizations and NGOs with capacity for implementing R&D projects.