Fellow

Dr. Zahurul Karim

(Fellow, 1995)

Dr. Zahurul Karim, former Secretary, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh was born in August, 1948 in the village of Chota-haran, District, Brahmanbaria, His father Hazi Safar Uddin was a reputed social reformer and mother was Hazi Joygon Nessa. He is an outstanding Agriculture Scientist, he devoted his professional career on Teaching, Research, Senior Public Administration, National and International Consultancies on agriculture, environment and food security.

Dr Karim did Bachelor and Master degrees from Bangladesh Agricultural University. He obtained Ph.D. degree from the University of Reading in 1978 through conducting graduate research in the world famous and oldest Rothamsted Experimental Station in U.K, . He has also done post-doctoral research at International Irrigation Center, Utah State University and Colorado State University, U.S.A.

Dr. Karim made considerable contribution to Bangladesh agriculture and sustainable environmental development, more on attainment of food autarky during 50 years of professional services. He served as a teacher of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Scientist of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), and Atomic Energy Centre, Dhaka. As a national research leader he worked at Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) from 1986 to 2000. He was appointed as the Director- General of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) and later he became the Executive Chairman of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), the apex organization of the National Agricultural Research System. He made significant contribution towards formulation of Action Plan for 25 million tons of Food grain production by 2002 and preparation of National Fertilizer Recommendation Guide during 1998. He also kept himself busy in post graduate teaching and supervising research students as adjunct Professor of North-South University, Dhaka University and Independent University, Bangladesh. He was also the founder Executive Director of USAG-GoB sponsored Bangladesh Tropical Forest Conservation Foundation popularly known as Arannayk.

Dr. Karim has made conspicuous research accomplishments in the field of agriculture by synthesizing new minerals Ferrihydrite and Aluminum substituted goethite. This made him known to the world soil-related literate society. He has also developed a large AEZ/GIS database at BARC for national planning of food security and scientific management of natural resources in the country. He has over one hundred original scientific publications in the world’s reputed journals. His other works include original and adaptive research contributions associated with farm level application for enhanced productivity and development planning for sustainable environmental management of natural resources.

Currently he is working as an International Technical Advisor of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). Since 2017 he has been also working   as one of the members of 10 globally selected independent scientist of the UNCCD Science Policy interface. He also worked about 4 years (2018 -2020) as an International Advisor of Food Policy Research of World Bank where he  developed many strategic documents, polices and programs on food security. He has also worked as Senior Advisor of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. During his five years tenure in FAO he has produced several national important documents like Country Investment Plan on Agriculture and Food Security, Agricultural Development Master Plan for the southern Bangladesh and Strategic food security documents for revitalizing of Agriculture in the Asia Pacific.

Dr. Karim was honored as the outstanding Commonwealth Scientist by Her Majesty the Queen on the occasion of 150th anniversary of Agricultural Research in 1993. Besides, he has received several national and international awards, the notable ones are Jatio Poaribesh Padak 2020 (National Environmental Award) Soil Care Award of the World Soil Day 20, Darithi Award, The Reflector Award 2013, BAU Alumni Award, etc Dr. Karim is a Member/ Fellow of many renowned academic and scientific bodies including New York Academy of Sciences, The World Academy of Sciences, Climate change study of Oxford University, and The Bangladesh Academy of Sciences. Dr. Karim was Secretary, Bangladesh Academy of Sciences. He was also Chairman/member of many scientific societies and international professional organizations. He was an elected member of the Board of Directors of the US-based International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), representing the Asia and the Pacific region. Also, he was a member of Council for Partnership on Rice Research in Asia (CORRA), Rice-Wheat Consortium and was Vice-Chairman of the International Soil Science Society. He acted as head/member of many National and International Task Forces and Agricultural Commission on food production, sustainable environmental development and Research Management.

He is actively associated with a number of International Research Centers in directing the research thrust. Among those are the Consultative Group for International Agriculture Research (CGIAR), International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Asian Vegetable Research Development Center (AVRDC), International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), International Potato Research Center (CIP), International Center for Research on Agro-forestry (ICRAF), and Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR). He also led the country in different science-based national and international forum and many inter-governmental delegations.

He has also established a private sector not for profit Institution Center for Agri-research and Sustainable Environment & Entrepreneurship Development (CASEED). He has traveled many countries of all the continents of the world on different delegations, negotiations, seminars, workshops and consultations.