Department of Agricultural Economics, Bangladesh Agricultural University

We have successfully completed our MS thesis defense on 12 and 13 May, 2026. Around 50 students have defended their thesis in October 25- March 26 semester. Sincere gratitude to the defense committee who have spent two long days to evaluate the research works of the students. The committee was headed by Prof. Dr. Saiful Islam, head, Dept. of Agricultiral Economics along with Prof. Dr. Md Akteruzzaman, Prof. Dr. Md Saidur Rahman and Prof. Dr. Hasneen Jahan from the same department. Always best wishes for our students for their success in life.

Orientation and Research Sensitization Workshop for the newly admitted postgraduate students of the Department of Agricultural Economics
Date: 27 November 2025
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The Department of Agricultural Economics at the BAU organized an orientation and research sensitizarion workshop for the postgraduate students who newly admitted into the MS course at the department. The program took place at the conference room of the Faculty of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology (AERS), BAU on 27 November 2025.

Honourable Coordinator, CASR, BAU was supposed to inaugurate the programme, however, because of some unavoidable circumstances he was unable to attend. Therefore honourable Dean Prof Dr Md Taj Uddin sir grace the event as chief guest and Prof Dr Humayun Kabir, Treasurer, BAU remained present as special guest. Director of the IQAC was also supposed to attend the event; however, he couldn't because of other commitments.

Representatives from the newly admitted postgraduate students expressed their expectations about what they want to learn during their studies and how they want to prepare themselves in the areana of Agricultural Economics research.

Honourable cheif guest, special guest, and the respected faculties all admired the postgraduate students for their decision to enroll in the MS program of the department which is one of the largest and resourceful departments in the faculty as well as in the university. They also made valuable insightful speech for the bettment of the students. Director of IADS, Head of different departments also spoke for the betterment of the students, and nearly all of the newly admitted students remained present in the orientation with patience. Prof Dr A H M Saiful Islam, Head of the Dept of Agricultural Economics, Chaired the orientation program. Dr Riffat Ara Zannat Tama and Mrs Farzana Yeasmin anchored the event successfully.

Following the orientation, research sensitization workshop was held for the students. Respected faculties conducted several technical sessions which included choosing research questions, searching literature efficiently, preparing research synopsis or proposal, using Microsoft Word for thesis writing efficiently, and ethical aspects in research (plagiarism, use of AI in academic).

Finally Prof Dr A H M Saiful Islam extended his gratitude to everyone who made the orientation and workshop successful. The program concluded by taking a few group photos and lunch at the Teachers' Cafeteria, BAU.

A potluck party was arranged on August 2, 2025 by the teachers and students of the course "Food and Nutrition Economics" for the Level 3 Semester 1 students under BSc in Agricultural Economics degree program. Each student under the course prepared a dish themselves for the event, which was then shared among all, including the guests. The students also presented the nutritional contents of the food items, and took special care in displaying the items.

The event was attended by the course teacher and Head of the Department of Agricultural Economics, Professor Dr. A. H. M. Saiful Islam, Treasurer of BAU, Professor Dr. Humayun Kabir, other teachers of the Faculty and students of the course.

Final day of the workshop (08-07-2025)
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The 4 days long workshop for the MS students concluded today with three technical sessions and a poster presentation session.

Assistant Professor Mrs. Farzana Yeasmin took a session on bibliography management software, Professor Dr. Md. Nahid Sattar discussed about plagiarism, and Associate Professor Dr. A. K. M. Abdullah Al-Amin talked about how to prepare a journal article from an MS thesis.

Later in the evening today, MS students of the department presented their synopsis in the poster presentation session. Honourable Students' Affairs Advisor Professor Dr. Muhammad Shahidul Haque inaugurated the poster presentation. Dean of the Faculty of AERS Professor Dr. Md. Taj Uddin, Treasurer Professor Dr. Humayun Kabir, Head of the department Professor Dr. A. H. M. Saiful Islam and other respectable faculties of the department were present at the poster presentation session.

Three best poster presenters were rewarded at the end of poster presentation session.

Finally, the workshop concluded with a dinner. At that time students' representatives appreciated the idea of holding the workshop and poster preparation. They expressed that they had been benefited from the workshop and they would be able to improve their research following the workshop.

Photo courtesy: Prof. Mahbub, Prof. Nahid, and Reshad (MS student).

Glimse of 3rd day of the workshop held for MS students of the Department of Agricultural Economics, BAU
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Date: 7 July 2025

As part of the ongoing 4 days long workshop, several technical sessions were held today at the conference room of the Faculty of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology.

Professor Dr. Md. Saidur Rahman has discussed about selecting a research topic and literature review. Professor Dr. Shamima Akhter and Associate Professor Mr. A. N. M. Zakir Hossain further discussed on how to write review of literature in MS thesis and how to write a review article, respectively.

Head of the Department, Professor Dr. A. H. M. Saiful Islam demonstrated the estimation of a typical production function. Estimation and interpretation of qualitative response models (Logit and Probit) were shown by Professor Dr. Mahbub Hossain. Finally, efficiency studies through stochastis frontier analysis, and Tobit model were discussed by Professor Dr. Mahmuda Nasrin.

Tomorrow on the final day of the workshop, a few more technical sessions will be held and later on the workshop will end with the poster presentation of the MS students.

Field trip of MS students organized by the Department of Agricultural Economics, BAU
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Date: 5 July 2025

As part of the ongoing 4 days long workshop, a field trip of MS students of the Department of Agricultural Economics, BAU was held at the 'Bhai Bhai Hatchery and Nursery' at Dhala Ward, Balipara Union, Trishal Upazila in Mymensingh District.

Head of the Department, senior professors, acting Treasurer of BAU, and other respectable faculties went along with the MS students. The purpose of the field trip was to facilitate the MS students to acquire real life knowledge of successful agro-entrepreneurship and to understand how agro-entrepreneurship sustainably impacts socioeconomic factors and livelihood of a backward community.

The owner of the hatchery, Mr. M. A. Baten, started the hatchery business in 1993. Mr. Baten and his four brothers played the leading role in the hatchery business in the area. Mr. Baten said that fish farming and hatchery business is still a very profitable business. He received the National Award in 2009 in recognition of this work. Currently, 150 employees are engaged in his 160-acre hatchery. Mr. Baten's son has completed graduation from Jahangirnagar University and is involved in the fish business. The hatchery and nursery business is highly prevalent in the entire area and the fish fry of these hatcheries are sold to almost all the districts of Bangladesh. The visiting MS students were inspired by the lifetime achievements of Mr. Baten.

Finally, a small token of appreciation on behalf of the Department of Agricultural Economics was handed over to Mr. Baten by the respectable faculties.

Workshop organised by the Department (03 July 2025)
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Inauguration of a four days long workshop on "Ensuring Quality Research of MS Students under the Department of Agricultural Economics at BAU" was held today at 12:00 on 3 July 2025 at the conference room of the Faculty of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, BAU, Mymensingh.
Honourable Vice Chancellor Professor Dr A K Fazlul Haque Bhuiyan remained present at the inauguration as the Chief Guest.
Coordinator Professor Dr. Md. Samsul Alam and Dean Professor Dr. Mohammad Taj Uddin were also present at the event as special guests.
Professor Dr A. H. M. Saiful Islam, Head of the Department of Agricultural Economics chaired the program.
Head of different departments, respected faculties, and postgraduate research students attended the opening ceremony.
Honourable VC sir, Coordinator sir, and Dean sir appreciated the efforts of the department taken for improving the research quality of MS students.
Prof. Dr. Md. Saidur Rahman, Prof. Dr. Ismat Ara Begum, and Prof. Dr. Fakir Azmal Huda delivered their speech for encouraging the MS students to attend all the technical sessions of the workshop.
Three technical sessions covering various topics such as writing synopsis, sampling techniques, article searching, questionnaire preparation, poster preparation, and thesis writing using Microsoft Word were held in the first day. One field trip and a few other technical sessions to follow.

MS thesis defense has been completed for the October 2024-March 2025 semester. In total 26 students appaired in the defence and presented their research.

Department of Agricultural Economics has done the Orientation programme for the MS students, enrolled in April-September 2024 semester. A total of 71 students got admitted in this semester. The programme was presided by the Department Head Prof. Dr. Hasneen Jahan. Veteran Prof. of the department Tofazzal Hossain Miah, Dean, AERS faculty, Co-ordinator, CASR, and respected teachers of the department were present in this delightful programme.

বাংলাদেশ কৃষি বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের সাবেক ভাইস-চ্যান্সেলর, পরিকল্পনা কমিশনের সাবেক সদস্য, খ্যাতিমান কৃষি অর্থনীতিবিদ, কৃষি অর্থনীতি বিভাগ তথা বাংলাদেশ কৃষি বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের ইমেরিটাস প্রফেসর ড. এম এ সাত্তার মন্ডল স্যার কে স্ট্যান্ডার্ড চাটার্ড -চ্যানেল আই এ্গ্রো অ্যাওয়ার্ড ২০২৩ এ আজীবন সম্মাননা প্রদান করায় কৃষি অর্থনীতি বিভাগের পক্ষ থেকে আন্তরিক অভিনন্দন। আমরা কৃষি অর্থনীতি পরিবার তাঁর সুস্বাস্থ্য, দীর্ঘায়ূ এবং সুখীজীবন কামনা করছি।