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Third National Report on the Implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (NR3)
  |  
BCH-NR3-BD-109135-1   |   PDF   |   Print   |  
last updated: 02 Nov 2015
General Information

To view the current National Focal Point information, click here.

Ministry of Environment and Forests; Ministry of Agriculture; Ministry of Fisheries & Livestock; Ministry of Science & Technology; Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs;   Department of Environment; Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council; NIB; BARI; BRRI; BSRI; BINA; BJRI; BFRI; BLRI; BAEC; BCSIR;  CDB; DAE; Department of Fishieries;  Bangladesh Agricultural University; University of Dhaka; BRAC University; Advanced Chemical Industries (ACI); etc.
EN

01 Jan 2011
31 Dec 2015
Party to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
Yes
EN
Article 2 – General provisions
A domestic regulatory framework is fully in place
EN
2008
EN
  • One or more national biosafety laws
  • One or more national biosafety regulations
  • One or more sets of biosafety guidelines
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Less than 5
EN
Yes
EN
The Biosafety Guidelines of Bangladesh has been gazetted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) in 2008. National Biosafety Framework (NBF) has also been developed in 2007. The Guidelines for the Assessment of Foods Derived from GE Plants has been Gazetted by the MOEF in 2012. Bangladesh Biosafety Rules, 2012 has been enacted in 2012. Biosafety Guidelines of Bangladesh appended as part of the rules.
EN
Article 5 - Pharmaceuticals
No
EN
Article 6 – Transit and Contained use
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
National Committee on Biosafety (NCB) has aproved contained green house trial of Golden rice being performed by the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI). Besides Golden Rice, NCB has also approved confined field trials Late Blight Resistant (LBR) potato in favour of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI). BARI performed several multilocational trials with LBR potato. Government has approved limited field cultivation of 4 varieties of Shoot & Fruit Borer (FSB) resistant Bt-Brinjal. Contained trial of Bt cotton has been done by the Cotton Development Board.
EN
Articles 7 to 10 – Advance Informed Agreement (AIA) and intentional introduction of LMOs into the environment
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
No
EN
No
EN
None
EN
None
EN
Article 11 – Procedure for living modified organisms intended for direct use as food or feed, or for processing (LMOs-FFP)
No
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
No
EN
Guidelines for the Assessment of Foods Derived from GE Plants which has been gazatted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests 2012. The necessary application formats for the importation and marketing of GE materials to be used as food and feed has developed. However, for the detection of GE foods we need to develop the capacity of our scientists as well as the capacity of the laboratories.
EN
Article 12 – Review of decision
Yes
EN
No
EN
No
EN
None
EN
There are review mechanisms in place. Bangladesh has approved Bangladesh Biosafety Rules-2012.
EN
Article 13 – Simplified procedure
Yes
EN
No
EN
None
EN
Article 14 – Bilateral, regional and multilateral agreements and arrangements
No
EN
Although Bangladesh has no any formal bilateral or multilateral agreements with parties and non-parties, we have regular contacts with our regional counterparts. We invite expert scientists from the neighbouring countries either as Resouce Persons or participants in our meetings, workshops related to Biosafety. We also join the Biosafety related meetings organized by our counterpart.
EN
Articles 15 & 16 – Risk Assessment and Risk Management
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
100 or more
EN
100 or more
EN
100 or more
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
No
EN
No
EN
Yes
EN
  • Commercial production
  • Field trial
  • LMOs for Contained use
  • LMOs for direct use as food
  • LMOs for direct use as feed
No
EN
Yes, always
EN
5 or less
EN
Yes, to some extent
EN
Yes, to some extent
EN
Yes
EN
Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) has developed/drafted Guidelines for Confined Field Trials of GE Crops, Standard Operating Procesures (SOPs) for Confined Field Trials of GE Crops, Inspectors Manual for Confined Field Trials of GE Crops, Data Recording formats for confined field trials, Guidelines for Safety Assessment of Foods Derived from GE crops, etc. in order to fulfil the requirements for risk assessment of GE crops. Biosafety Rules of Bangladesh-2012 and Biosafety Guidelines where all details on various aspects on risk assessment and management issues have been mentioned. The SOPs are also useful to manage the perceived risks of GE crops. Laboratory facility needs to be developed for detection and assessment of LMOs.
EN
Article 17 – Unintentional transboundary movements and emergency measures
Yes, to some extent
EN
No
EN
No
EN
Never
EN
Article 18 – Handling, transport, packaging and identification
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Existing types of documentation
EN
Yes
EN
Existing types of documentation
EN
Yes
EN
Existing types of documentation
EN
Yes
EN
No
EN
None
EN
Yes, to some extent
EN
10 or more
EN
No
EN
None
EN
In the SOPs for handling, transport,  storage, packaging  norms are included. Handling and Transport norms are also guided by Biosafety Guidelines of Bangladesh, 2008.
EN
Article 19 – Competent National Authorities and National Focal Points
n/a
EN
Yes, to some extent
EN
Bangladsh Govt. has designated one Focal Point as well as Competent Authorities to implement the Article 19. Moreover, provisions are there in the Implementation of National Biosafety Framework (INBF) project for enhancing the capacity of the competent national authorities.
EN
Article 20 – Information Sharing and the Biosafety Clearing-House (BCH)
Information available but only partially available in the BCH
EN
Information available and in the BCH
EN
Information available but not in the BCH
EN
Information available and in the BCH
EN
Information available and in the BCH
EN
Information not available
EN
Information not available
EN
Information not available
EN
Information available but not in the BCH
EN
Information available and in the BCH
EN
Information not available
EN
Information not available
EN
Information not available
EN
Information not available
EN
Information not available
EN
Information not available
EN
Information not available
EN
Yes, to some extent
EN
Yes, to some extent
EN
Yes, in some cases
EN
No
EN
No
EN
5 or more
EN
One or more
EN
  • National Libraries
The information so far available are posted in the Biosafety Clearing House.
EN
Article 21 – Confidential information
Yes
EN
In some cases only
EN
In the Bangladesh Biosafety Rules , 2012, provisions has been made to harmonize this issue following the steps of other Parties.
EN
Article 22 – Capacity-building
No
EN
Yes
EN
Multilateral channels
EN
No
EN
Yes
EN
Average
EN
  • Development of national biosafety frameworks
  • Implementation of national biosafety frameworks
  • Building Capacity for Effective Participation in the BCH (Phase I)
Yes
EN
  • Institutional capacity
  • Human resources capacity development and training
  • Risk assessment and other scientific and technical expertise
  • Risk management
  • Public awareness, participation and education in biosafety
  • Information exchange and data management including participation in the Biosafety Clearing-House
  • Scientific, technical and institutional collaboration at subregional, regional and international levels
  • Technology transfer
  • Identification of LMOs, including their detection
  • Socio-economic considerations
  • Implementation of the documentation requirements under Article 18.2 of the Protocol
  • Handling of confidential information
  • Measures to address unintentional and/or illegal transboundary movements of LMOs
  • Scientific biosafety research relating to LMOs
  • Taking into account risks to human health
Yes
EN
No
EN
Yes
EN
  • Institutional capacity
  • Human resources capacity development and training
  • Risk assessment and other scientific and technical expertise
  • Risk management
  • Public awareness, participation and education in biosafety
  • Information exchange and data management including participation in the Biosafety Clearing-House
  • Scientific, technical and institutional collaboration at subregional, regional and international levels
  • Technology transfer
  • Identification of LMOs, including their detection
  • Socio-economic considerations
  • Implementation of the documentation requirements under Article 18.2 of the Protocol
  • Handling of confidential information
  • Measures to address unintentional and/or illegal transboundary movements of LMOs
  • Scientific biosafety research relating to LMOs
  • Taking into account risks to human health
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
None
EN
No
EN
In the INBF project, provisions have been made for the capacity building at institutional as well as individual levels on various aspects of biosafety including enhancing the capacities of different laboratories for the detection of GMOs.
EN
Article 23 – Public awareness and participation
Yes, to some extent
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
One or more
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes, to some extent
EN
  • National website
  • Forums
  • Public hearings
Forums
EN
No
EN
None
EN
One or more
EN
Yes, to some extent
EN
No
EN
Never
EN
Several awarness building workshop/meetings were organized for different stakeholders through INBF development project.
EN
Article 24 – Non-Parties
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
Article 25 – Illegal transboundary movements
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Never
EN
Article 26 – Socio-economic considerations
Yes
EN
Not applicable
EN
None
EN
No
EN
Article 27 – Liability and Redress
No
EN
Yes
EN
No
EN
Yes
EN
Necessary steps will be taken for signing Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress.
EN
Article 28 – Financial Mechanism and Resources
500,000 USD or more
EN
Article 33 – Monitoring and reporting
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Other information
Comments on reporting format
No difficulties faced
EN