Speakers at an online discussion on the establishment of biobank in Bangladesh have said that biobanks are of immense importance in conducting world-class research and obtaining information needed for vaccine discovery of various complex and difficult diseases, including epidemics.
Biobanks contribute greatly to the knowledge of the past and present situation of viruses and bacteria in the environment and in various organisms, they said at the discussion held on Monday.
The vice-chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Professor Dr Deen Mohd Noorul Huq and Bangladesh ambassador to Belgium and head of European Union mission Mahbub Hassan Saleh spoke at the discussion, said a press release issued on Thursday.
The BSMMU academic pro-VC Professor Dr Mohammed Atiqur Rahman and research and development pro-VC Professor Dr Md Moniruzzaman Khan also joined the discussion, which was assisted by deputy head of mission of Bangladesh embassy in Belgium Preeti Rahman.
The BSMMU anatomy department chairman Professor Dr Laila Anjuman Banu and pharmacology department chairman Professor Dr Sayedur Rahman, and the University Grants Commission professor Dr Sajal Krishna Banerjee were also present at the discussion, which was anchored by Dr Arman Rahman.
Deen Mohd Noorul Huq assured full cooperation regarding the establishment of biobank in Bangladesh.
Laila Anjuman and Sayedur Rahman shed light on the current situation and the future to be done by describing the activities carried out for the purpose of establishing a biobank in Bangladesh starting from the Science Summit at the United Nations General Assembly in 2022.
Mahbub Hasan assured that the embassy would cooperate for managing the budget required for the establishment of biobank in Bangladesh and establishing the link between the BSMMU and the EU.
