Khulna divisional regional office of Bangladesh Institute of Research and Training on Applied Nutrition (BIRTAN) in Jhenaidah has been playing role in food-based nutrition training, develop human skill and contribute in nation develop activities for poverty alleviation through field research.
BIRTAN was established in Jhenaidah at the middle point of Khulna division in 2018 under the ministry of agriculture about seven kilometres form the district headquarters on 4.80 acres of land at Madhupuri area on Jhenaidah-Dhaka highway. The aim was nutrition aspects improvement, build skill human resources, employment opportunities, and build entrepreneurs and some other similar activities of 10 Khulna division people. Now it has been working in nutrition analysis division, Food Processing and Preservation Division, Diet Standardization Division and Food Hygiene and Quality Divisions.
But the huge research organization has been facing problems for its acute manpower shortage since the inception. Position of a
scientific officer (SO), two assistant scientific officers (ASOs), a field officer, driver, two guards and a peon is lying vacant since the stating hours.
With the limited officials including scientists and staff, the research activities in eight units has been conducted anyway at Jashore University of Science and Technology (JUST) and other stations for want of manpower and modern laboratories at BIRTAN premises. Here the people of Jhenaidah and Jhenaidah-based institutions are deprived off training and other desired facilities.
Senior scientific officer (SSO), also the regional head of the BIRTAN in Khulna division Dr. Nur Alam Siddiquee when contacted said they have been conducting research on Microbial Contaminations of cooked food under different households practices, assessment of nutritive and anti- nutritive status of tomato and brinzal. They have provided training to 1,560 persons including 700 government officials on Food and Nutrition Security Policy in 2022-22. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) had provided the training support.
Some of the training components were food-based nutrition among cleaners, mobile food sellers, food processors, hotel and restaurants boys and working women, fish and flesh sellers and processors, slum dwellers, mid level officials, common farmers, sub assistant agriculture officers (SAAOs), school teachers, women affairs office employees, livestock and fisheries department staff, non-government organization activists, religious leaders, local elected representatives and media activists.
BIRTAN regional head Dr Nur Alam Siddiquee said although they have the training centre with three venues, lacking modern equipment facilities, furnishers etc. The limitations might go fast to improve the quality of research and training for the people of Khulna division.