Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA)

Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA)

Website Address: http://www.bina.gov.bd

Category: BINA

Organization Details:

Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA)

Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) became functioning as a small radio-tracer laboratory during 1961, today stands on a solid infrastructure. It is now prepared to face current and future challenges in crop production sector using nuclear and other advanced techniques. Using radiation technique, the institute has already developed 37 improved mutant varieties of different crops have been released by the National Seed Board of Bangladesh for large-scale cultivation in the farmers’ field. Some of the mutant varieties, e.g., Iratom-24, and Binasail of rice, Binamoog-2 and Binamoog-5 of mungbean, Binasarisha-3, Binasarisha-4 and Binasarisha-5 of rapeseed, Binachinabadam-2 and Binachnabadam-3 of groundnut have created economic impact. Further, nuclear techniques have been successfully used to identify seven rhizobial inoculants capable of fixing higher biological nitrogen, and thereby, increasing grain yield of lentil, chickpea, mungbean, cowpea, groundnut and soybean. Moreover, nuclear techniques are being successfully used in pest, soil and water management studies, nutrient uptake researches, organic matter and crop residues study to avoid degeredation and preserve the environment.

However, scientists are facing challenge to transfer the results of research from the laboratory to the field. Useful lessons can be derived from the successful implementation of “Lab to Land” programme of our New Agricultural Extension Policies. Farmers, both men and women, are essentially required to be involved in the use of new technologies. For, it is only with their active participation that we can achieve our goal of sustainable agricultural development. To this effect BINA has a technology transfer programme. New technologies of this institute are made popular to the farmers through on-farm demonstrations all over the country. This massive task is being accomplished through joint collaboration of BINA with Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and NGOs. BINA has also training programmes for scientists, extension personnel, farmers (both men and women) on the improved technologies developed at the institute for higher productivity.

For the outstanding contribution in the field of agriculture, the institute has been awarded “President Gold Medal” in 1979-80. Many of its scientists have received prestigeous medals and certificates, such as “President Medal”, and also from various societies like “Bangladesh Association for the Advancement of Science,” “Women Scientists Society”, “Kazi Mahbubullah Trust”, etc.

Head Office:

Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) is located in the campus of the Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. The institute is about 5 km from the Mymensingh Railway Station, about 120 km north of Dhaka City and about 100 km from the Zia International Airport, Dhaka.

Sub Stations:

BINA has 5 sub-stations with an annex farm for assessing the wide adaptability/location specific performance of advanced mutant lines ofdifferent crops and other technologies generated by the scientists.

The sub-stations are located at Ishurdi, Rangpur, Magura, Comilla and Satkhira with its annex farm at Jamalpur. The research work at Satkhira sub-station is aimed at the development of salt tolerant varieties along with improved production packages and cropping pattern suitable for the vast coastal areas across the southern belt of Bangladesh.

The functions of the Institute are to-

a. undertake research adopting nuclear techniques for the purpose of ensuring a stable and productive agriculture through evolution of new varieties of crops, scientific management of land and water, development of appropriate technology to improve quality and quantity of crops, and development of methods for control of disease and insect and management of pest;
b. undertake agronomic and soil-plant studies;
c. carry out demonstration tests or trial-runs of new varieties of crops and their management practices;
d. publish annual reports relating to the activities of the Institute;
e. publish agricultural manuals, monograms, bulletins and other literature relating to crop research;
f. train research and extension officers in the improved technology of crop production;
g. provide post-graduate research facilities;
h. organize seminars, symposia and workshops on selected problems relating to agriculture and agricultural research and technology;
i. undertake research programmes in collaboration with other national and international agencies and organizations;
j. enter into bilateral agreements with foreign institutions for academic degrees, specialized training, scientific visits and exchange programmes; and
k. perform such other functions as may be necessary for the purposes of presidential Ordinance-II of 1984.

Chronological Development of BINA:

1. Establishment of the Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (INA) by the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission: July 1, 1972.
2. Shifted INA to its present site at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) Campus,  Mymensingh: January 1, 1975.
3. Placed under the Ministry of Agriculture through a Presidential Order: July 1, 1982o Declared as constituent unit of BARC along with BARI, BRRI and BJRI through Gazette Notification: July 24, 1982.
4. Declared as constituent unit of BRAC along with BARI, BRRI and BJRI through Gazette Notification: July 24, 1982.
5. Declared as a National Institute and renamed as Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture through promulgation of an Ordinance by the Honorable President of the Peoples’  Republic of Bangladesh:  January 5, 1984.
6. BINA ordinance amended and enacted by the Bangladesh Parliament, vide Act No. IV of 1996: August 17, 1996.

Management Board and it’s Function:

1. Subject to the rules and regulations made under the ordinance, the general direction, administration and supervision of the affairs of the Institute is vested in the management board, exercise all powers and do all acts and things that may be exercised or done by the Institute.
2. The board in discharging its function shall be guided on questions of policy by such instructions as may be given to it by the government from time to time.

Constitution of Board:

(i) The Board consists of the following members, namely;

a. the Director-General, ex-officio, who shall also be the Chairman of the Board;
b. a representative of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, not below the rank of Director, to be nominated by that Commission;
c. the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, ex-officio;
d. a representative of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council, to be nominated by it;
e. a representative of the Department of Agricultural Extension, not below the rank of Director, to be nominated by the Ministry or Division dealing with agriculture;
f. the Directors of the Institute, ex-officio;
g. two senior scientists of the Institute, to be nominated by the Ministry or Division dealing with agriculture;
h. two representatives, one from among the progressive farmers, and the other from amongst the Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) performing functions similar to those of the Institute, to be nominated by the Ministry or Division dealing with agriculture;
i. two representatives, one from the Ministry or Division dealing with agriculture and the other from the Finance Division of the Ministry dealing with finance, not below the rank of Deputy Secretary, to be nominated by that Ministry or Division.
(ii) The Director-in-Charge of Administration of the Institute shall act as the Secretary of the Board.