National Committee on Biosafety (NCB) for Bangladesh

The National Committee on Biosafety (NCB) is the apex national regulatory and decision-making authority in Bangladesh concerning the safe transfer, handling, use, and research of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and Living Modified Organisms (LMOs). Operating under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), the NCB ensures that modern biotechnology is applied safely, protecting human health, animal health, and the environment in accordance with the national laws and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.

1. Structure of the NCB

The NCB is a multidisciplinary, high-level committee designed to ensure comprehensive oversight from various sectors of the government and scientific community. Its structure is designed to be inclusive of key ministries and independent experts:

  • Chairperson: The Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
  • Member Secretary: The Director General (DG), Department of Environment (DoE).
  • Core Members: High-ranking representatives (usually at the Joint Secretary level or higher) from key government ministries, including:
    • Ministry of Agriculture
    • Ministry of Science and Technology
    • Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
    • Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock
    • Ministry of Commerce
  • Scientific Experts & Heads of Institutes: Includes the Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), heads of various national research institutes (like BARI, BRRI), and eminent independent scientists or academicians specializing in biotechnology, genetics, and environmental science.
The NCB is supported by the Biosafety Core Committee (BCC), which provides technical evaluations and expert recommendations to the NCB to aid in the final decision-making process.

2. Functions of the NCB

As the supreme biosafety regulatory body in Bangladesh, the NCB has a wide range of administrative, regulatory, and policy-making functions:

  • Final Approval Authority: The NCB holds the ultimate authority to approve or reject applications regarding the laboratory research, confined field trials, open field trials, environmental release, and commercialization of GMOs/LMOs.
  • Policy Formulation: It drafts, reviews, and updates national biosafety policies, guidelines, and frameworks (such as the Biosafety Guidelines of Bangladesh and National Biosafety Policy) to keep pace with global biotechnological advancements.
  • International Compliance: The committee ensures that Bangladesh fulfills its obligations under international treaties, primarily the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.
  • Coordination & Oversight: It oversees and coordinates the activities of lower-tier biosafety bodies, including the Biosafety Core Committee (BCC), Institutional Biosafety Committees (IBCs) at research institutions, and Field-level Biosafety Committees (FBCs).
  • Risk Management: Based on the risk assessment reports provided by the BCC, the NCB dictates the risk management strategies and emergency measures required for any approved GMO/LMO activity.
  • Public Awareness: The NCB is mandated to facilitate public awareness, education, and participation concerning the safe use of modern biotechnology.

3. Decisions Made by the NCB

The decisions of the NCB are legally binding and form the basis for what biotechnological products can enter the Bangladeshi environment or market. Their decision-making process is entirely dependent on rigorous scientific risk assessments.

Types of Decisions:

  • Permits for Contained Use: Approving genetic engineering research inside secure laboratories.
  • Field Trial Approvals: Allowing confined or open field trials for genetically engineered crops under strict monitoring.
  • Commercial Release: Granting the final approval for a GMO to be cultivated by farmers or sold to consumers.
  • Import/Export Authorizations: Regulating the transboundary movement of GMOs (e.g., GM seeds or GM food/feed).

Key Historical & Recent Decisions:

  • Approval of Bt Brinjal (2013): The NCB made a landmark decision by approving four varieties of Bt Brinjal (eggplant genetically modified to resist the fruit and shoot borer insect) for commercial cultivation. This made Bangladesh the first developing country in South Asia to approve a GM food crop.
  • Approval of Bt Cotton (2023): To boost domestic textile production and reduce pesticide use, the NCB approved two varieties of genetically modified Bt Cotton for commercial cultivation.
  • Review of Golden Rice and Late-Blight Resistant Potato: The NCB continually reviews applications for other highly anticipated crops, such as Vitamin A-enriched "Golden Rice" and genetically engineered potatoes resistant to late-blight disease. Decisions on these crops involve extensive deliberation on environmental safety, public health, and socio-economic impacts.