Country Report-BANGL..

BIOTECHNOLOGY REGULATIONS WITH
EMPHASIS ON PUBLIC AWARENESS AND
CONSULTATIONS
-

BANGLADESH


Dr. Md. Safiul Alam Bhuiyan


Director

Horticulture Research Centre

BARI, Gazipur, Bangladesh

Population

Education

Awareness

Demand

Land

Gene pool

Cereal Crops

Horticultural
Crops

Vertical & Horizontal both difficult

Fruits & Vegetables for nutritional point of
view

Flower:

For aesthetic purpose and
economic return

Bangladesh Scenario



Modern biotechnological Technique

•

Modern

GM

Crop

Varieties

-
Golden rice

-
Virus resistant papaya and

-
Other
–

Cannot be introduced

•

Biosafety

Guidelines

-

Biosafety

act

•

Priority

Area

–

Biotechnology


-
International Centre of Genetic Engineering and
Biotechnology (ICGEB)

-
Establishment of National Institute of Biotechnology (NIB)

-
Formulation of Biosafety Guideline

-
National Committee on Biosafety of Bangladesh (NCBB)

-
Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)


-
Biological Safety of Officers (BSO)

•

Biosafety

Act

under

Process

Powers

and

functions

of

the

NCBB


The NCBB shall have the following powers and functions.

•
Identify

and

evaluate

potential

risks

in

handling

of

hazardous

or

genetically

modified

organisms

(GMOs)

and

recommend

measures

to

minimize

risk
.

It

has

also

to

recommend

measures

to

minimize

risks

which

may

result

from

the

introduction

of

new

species,

strains

or

varieties
.

The

NCBB

should

use

the

approved

guidelines

to

determine

the

risk

potential

of

organisms

to

be

introduced
.



•
The

NCBB

may

call

upon

the

expertise

of

an

expatriate

scientist

for

his/her

views

on

identification

and

evaluation

of

potential

risks

in

handling

of

hazardous

or

genetically

modified

organisms

(GMOs)
.

It

may

also

seek

help

in

formulation,

review

or

amendment

of

national

policies

and

guidelines

on

biosafety
.




Formulate,

review

or

amend

national

policies

and

guidelines

on

biosafety,

risk

assessment

and

risk

management

work

in

biotechnology

and

supervise

the

implementation

thereof
.





Inform

the

government

quarantine

services

at

airport

and

border

authorities

on

permission

given

on

the

import

of

GMOs

and

hazardous

organisms
.




Develop

working

arrangements

with

the

government

services,

research

institutions

and

universities,

public

health

services

in

the

evaluation,

monitoring

and

review

of

work

according

to

national

policies

and

guidelines

on

biosafety
.

The

NCBB

reserves

the

right

to

inspect

laboratories

at

any

time

without

prior

notice
.




Recommend

the

development

and

promotion

of

research

programmes

to

establish

risk

assessment

protocols

and

assessment

of

long
-
term

environmental

effects

of

biological

research

covered

by

these

guidelines
.

Preparation

of

different

assessment

forms

e
.
g
.

project

proposal

forms

for

assessment

of

laboratory

genetic

manipulation

work
.



Publish

the

results

of

internal

deliberations

and

agency

reviews

of

the

Committee
.




Hold

public

deliberations

on

proposed

national

policies,

guidelines

and

other

biosafety

issues
.




Provide

assistance

in

the

formulation,

amendment

of

pertinent

laws,

rules

and

regulations
.




Call

upon

the

assistance

of

experienced

scientists

from

abroad

if

necessary

or

any

agency,

department,

office,

bureau

including

government
-
owned

and/or

controlled

corporations
.




Review

the

appointment

of

the

members

of

the

IBC

upon

recommendation

of

respective

heads

of

institutions
.



Hold

discussions

on

the

comparative

ecological,

economic

and

social

impacts

of

alternative

approaches

to

attain

the

purposes/objectives

of

the

proposed

genetic

modification

products

and/or

services
.




Assess

and

identify

priorities

in

human

resource

development

in

biosafety

and

in

the

related

capacity

building

(including

infrastructural)

requirements
.




The

NCBB

shall

also

update

and

modify

the

guidelines

from

time

to

time

on

the

basis

of

scientific

information

and

the

experience

gained

on

the

use

of

new

technique

in

the

area

of

research

and

application
.




Coordinate

the

activities

of

the

technical

committee
.







Function

of

IBC


It

shall

be

the

function

of

IBC

to
:


Review

work

conducted

at

or

sponsored

by

the

institution

and

recommend

research

proposals

for

approval

by

the

NCBB
.

The

review

shall

cover
:

a)
The

containment

levels

required

by

the

guidelines

for

the

proposed

research
.

b)
The

facilities,

procedures

and

practices

and

the

training

and

expertise

of

personnel

assigned

to

the

work
.

c)
Hold

discussions

on

the

comparative

ecological,

economic

and

social

impacts

of

alternative

approaches

to

attain

the

purposes/objectives

of

the

proposed

genetic

engineering

products/or

services
.






Notify

the

project

chief/proponents/investigator

about

the

results

of

the

review
.


Review

at

least

once

per

year,

the

work

with

potential

risks

being

conducted

at

the

institution

as

well

as

review

laboratory

records

on

an

irregular

basis

to

ensure

that

requirements

of

the

guidelines

are

being

fulfilled
.


Formulate

and

adopt

emergency

plans

covering

accidental

spills

and

personnel

contamination

resulting

from

work
.


Report

immediately

to

the

appropriate

official

in

the

concerned

organization

and

to

the

NCBB

any

significant

problems

with

the

guidelines

and

any

significant

research

related

accidents

or

illness
.


Perform

such

other

function

as

may

be

delegated

by

the

NCBB

and

keep

close

liaison

with

NCBB
.






The

BSO(s)

shall

be

designated

by

the

institution

engaged

in

research,

production

and

introduction

activities

involving

genetic

engineering

and

hazardous

organisms
.

More

than

one

BSO

may

be

appointed

depending

on

the

needs

of

the

institution
.


It

shall

be

the

duty

of

the

BSO

to

monitor

compliance

with

the

guidelines
.


The

BSO

may

or

many

not

be

a

member

of

the

IBC
.


The

BSO

has

to

report

regularly

to

the

Chairman

IBC,

any

matter

regarding

biosafety

applications
.


The

Biological

Safety

Officer(s)

(BSO)


Conventional

-

Frontier

Technologies


-
To produce more food



Public

Awareness


-
Seminar

-
Symposium

-
Public meeting


Biotechnology

is

the

only

option

to

Feed

the

People


Distinct

groups

-
Support

for

GM

crops

-
Against

for

GM

crops





So,

the

safe

use

of

modern

biotechnology

will

require
:


Trained

and

efficient

human

resources

for

the

production

of

GMO

crops

and

processed

food
.


Strong

support

for

research

and

technology

development

for

the

assessment

and

management

of

GM

crops
.


Well

equipped

laboratory

for

researching,

analyzing

and

managing

biosafety

risks

associated

with

GM

crop

specially

for

export
.


Establishment

of

the

Asian

Bio
-
Net

for

the

safe

and

judicious

use

of

modern

biotechnology

using

the

GMOs

as

it

does

not

need

passport

for

its

movement
.