Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research BCSIR

History and Founding

The Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) traces its origins to 1955, when the East Regional Laboratories of the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) were established in Dhaka under the guidance of eminent scientist Dr. Muhammad Qudrat-i-Khuda. Following Bangladesh's independence in 1971, the organization was formally reconstituted as BCSIR on 16 November 1973 through a government resolution, and later placed on a statutory footing by Presidential Ordinance No. V of 1978. The Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Act of 2013 provides its current legal framework.

Organization and Scope

BCSIR is Bangladesh's largest and most diverse public research organization, operating as an autonomous body under the Ministry of Science and Technology. Its network spans three full-fledged multi-disciplinary regional laboratories (Dhaka, Chittagong, and Rajshahi), eight mono-disciplinary institutes, and one pilot plant center. The Dhaka laboratories, the largest unit, house seven research divisions and employ approximately 76 active scientists supported by approximately 60 scientific and technical personnel.

Collections, Publications, and Research

BCSIR publishes scientific findings through the Bangladesh Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research (BJSIR), a peer-reviewed periodical. Its publications portal provides access to research outputs spanning food science, biotechnology, natural products, environmental science, renewable energy, and industrial chemistry. The central library at BCSIR headquarters offers science and technology resources to scientists, researchers, and students. BCSIR has accumulated approximately 50 completed Annual Development Programme (ADP) projects and maintains an active patent portfolio dating to early innovations in jute-based materials.

Access and Usage

Publications and research outputs are accessible through the BCSIR publications portal at the official government website. The central library provides on-site services to researchers, educators, and students. BCSIR also offers analytical and testing services through its One-Stop Analytical Service Centre, established in 2009.