Dr. Muhammad Abdur Razzaque

Dr. Muhammad Abdur Razzaque

Dr. Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, MP has risen from the role of a freedom fighter struggling for Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan in 1971 to become the Minister of the People's Republic of Bangladesh in three different Ministries: Food and Disaster Management (2009-2012), Food (2012-2014), and Agriculture (2018 to till date). Dr. Razzaque, born in a respectable Muslim family in Dhanbari of Tangail district in 1 February 1950, did his B.Sc (Agriculture) in 1972 and M.Sc (Agriculture) in 1973 from Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh. He did his Ph.D in Agronomy in 1983 from Purdue University, a very renowned university in USA.

Dr. Razzaque started his professional career as a Scientific Officer of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), Dhaka, and eventually was promoted to the rank of Chief Scientific Officer. During his research career, he served as the national coordinator of Integrated Farming System Research and Development and influenced agricultural policy and research to a great extent. He is one of the authors of the famous book titled `Methodology Guidelines for Farming Systems Research and Development in Bangladesh’ published by BARC. He was assigned as editors of different scientific documents produced by BARC during his research career. He has in his good name a number of research papers published in famous Journals in home and abroad. Later, during his professional career, he was also elected the General Secretary of the Bangladesh Krishibid Institution in 1996-97, the professional body of the agriculturists’ community.

 A much-admired politician, Dr. Razzaque contested in the Parliamentary Election held in 2001, 2008, 2014 and 2018 from Tangail-1 constituency (Modhupur-Dhanbari Upazila) as a candidate of Bangladesh Awami League and was elected as the Member of the Parliament for four consecutive terms. He is also the Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee for Ministry of Finance.

 Under his initiatives as Minister, the 100-day employment generation program (EGP) was launched and National Plan for Disaster Management in 2010, National Food Policy Plan of Action (2008-2015), Country Investment Plan 2011 and Bangladesh Food Safety Act 2013 were formulated. Bangladesh National Food safety Authority was established under his auspices. In food management he worked for self sufficiency and food safety, in disaster management he worked for scientific and standardized approach for risk management and in agriculture he is currently working for enhancing mechanization, agro-processing, value addition and export market development, commercialization and farmers’ profitability. He contributed to the establishment of SAARC Food Bank and formulation of SAARC and BIMSTEC disaster framework.  

 He was awarded the DAA (Distinguished Agriculture Alumni) Award in 2013 by Purdue University