Dr. Bhagya Rani Banik joined Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) on August 31, 2017 as Executive Chairman replacing her predecessor Dr. Mohammod Jalal Uddin. Earlier she served as the Director General at Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI). She took the new charge of Executive Chairman of BARC as the first female head of the council in its history of four and half a decade.
Dr. Banik was born on 31 December, 1958, at Bagmara of Sadar South Upazila in Comilla district. She joined BARI on September 5, 1983 as a scientific officer. She obtained BSc.Ag. honours degree from Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University in 1982.
Later on, she obtained her post graduate degree from the Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, in 1987 on genetics and plant breeding. She did her PhD in 2003 from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur.
Dr. Banik performed in different positions at BARI such as Director (Training and Communication), Director (Oil seed Research Centre) and Director (Spices Research Centre).
She has made significant contributions towards the development of improved crop varieties and production technology of rice, maize, cheena, millet, barley and spices.
