Agrilife24.com: SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC) inaugurated Book Corner at National Agriculture Training Academy (NATA) in Gazipur on Tuesday (24 February 2026) marking a fresh step towards strengthening regional knowledge exchange in the agriculture sector.
The SAC Book Corner was formally inaugurated by Md. Abdur Rahim, Director General of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and Md. Saiful Azam Khan, Director General of NATA.
Senior officials from both organizations attended the ceremony. Representing SAC were Dr. Md. Younus Ali, Senior Program Specialist (Livestock); Dr. Raza Ullah Khan, Senior Program Specialist (Natural Resource Management); Dr. Sikander Khan Tanveer, Senior Program Specialist (Crops); Dr. Md. Shariful Islam, Senior Program Specialist (Fisheries); and Md. Abul Bashar, Senior Program Officer (Publication). From NATA, Dr. Sukalpa Das, Deputy Director (Plant Pathology); Dr. Md. Huzzatul Islam, Deputy Director (Admin and Support Service); Lupu Rahman, Librarian; Mohamad Anisuzzaman, Senior Assistant Director (Agricultural Extension); and Dr Muhammad Shahadat Hossain Siddiquee, Senior Assistant Director (Horticulture Crop Disease), were present. Among others Officials from different National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) also attended the event.
Speakers at the program highlighted the importance of accessible, evidence-based knowledge for agricultural development. They noted that training institutions such as NATA play a central role in shaping field-level extension services and policy implementation. In that context, the SAC Book Corner is expected to serve as a practical resource hub for trainers, officers and agricultural professionals.
The Book Corner is a collection of SAC publications, including regional research findings, journal, policy briefs and technical documents covering crops, livestock, fisheries and natural resource management. By bringing these materials directly to a national training institution, SAC aims to bridge the gap between regional research and field-level application.
Officials expressed hope that the initiative would further strengthen collaboration between SAC and national institutions, and contribute to building a more knowledge-driven and resilient agriculture sector in Bangladesh.