Fellow

Prof. Quazi Abdul Fattah (Deceased)

(Fellow, 1991)

Professor Quazi Abdul Fattah, son of late Alhaj Abdus Samad and late Mosammat Zobeda Khatun was born on 2 April, 1934 at Magura, under the then Jessore district.

Professor Fattah secured First Class First position in Botany Preliminary in 1952 and also First Class First in M.Sc Final in 1953. Obtained Special Honours in Botany with Zoology and Microbiology as subsidiaries from the University of Bristol, U. K. in 1960. Received the Ph.D. degree in 1969 from the University of British Columbia, Canada. In 1961 participated in Summer Science Course for Biology teachers of Universities and Colleges from all over in the then Pakistan and stood First.

Dr. Fattah was a Lecturer in Biology, Sunamganj College, Sylhet; Lecturer in Botany, Dhaka College; Lecturer in Botany in Eden Girls' College; Professor of Botany, Murari Chand College, Sylhet; Senior Lecturer in Botany Department, Dhaka University; Professor of Botany in 1979.

His research areas included Plant Physiology, Plant Biochemistry, Horticulture and Plant Anatomy with special emphasis on the use of plant growth regulating substances (PGR) on the physiological and biochemical parameters with specific emphasis on increasing the yield of important agricultural and horticultural crop plants of Bangladesh. 

He served as Professor and Head of the Department of Crop Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria from  September, 1981 to 30 September, 1985. Again joined as Professor of Botany, Dhaka University in October, 1985. Got Selection Grade Professorship in 1990. and he had also served as the Chairman.

During his stay in Canada he was a Teaching Assistant in Biology and a Post-doctoral Research Assistant in Plant Physiology in the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. Part-time Visiting Professor in Botany, Jahangirnagar University, Savar from 1986 for 12 years.

Professor Fattah was awarded Gold Medal of Dhaka University in 1954. Received UNESCO award in 1962 for being the first author of a Text Book in Biology,"Saral Jibbiggan" published by East  Pakistan Text Book Board. He was also awarded a Gold Medal as an Eminent Botanist in 2005, and Honorary Fellowship of Bangladesh Botanical Society. Paul Harris Fellow (PHF) in Rotary International. Awarded Colombo Plan Scholarship, 1957 to 1960 to study B.Sc. Honours in Botany in UK. Received Central Overseas Scholarship from September, 1966 for three years for doing Ph.D. in Canada.

He has supervised more than 60 M.Sc. thesis and project students and eight Ph.D. and two M. Phil. students. Examined 4 Ph.D candidates from India, one from Vishwa Bharati, another from Kalyani and two others from south India and also one each from universities of Rajshahi, Chittagong and Jahangirnagar and also two M. Phil candidates from Jahangirnagar University.

He has published 80 research publications in national and international journals of repute. A country paper on Medicinal Plants Research in Bangladesh was presented in UNESCO seminar, Botany 2000 in Asia in 1992. He is senior author of four books, three in Bangla and one in English and a Book by Bangladesh Open University. Also senior author of Paribesh Biggan Published by NCTB. Senior author of two chapters-Gardens in British Period and Gardens in Pakistan and Bangladesh Periods. In: Environment of Capital Dhaka, Ed. M. Anwarul Islam, Celebration of 400 years of capital Dhaka, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, Dhaka. Author of a Chapter in “Gayner Kotha” published by Shishu Academy.

He was Editor, Bangladesh Journal of Botany, 1997-1999, 2003- 2005, 2006–2008; Editor, Dhaka University Studies, Part E; Editor, Dhaka University Journal of Biological Sciences and Member, Editorial Board; Former Member, Editorial Board, Journal of Life  Sciences (ten years); Former Member, Editorial Board, Bangladesh Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research, BCSIR; Member, Editorial Board, Journal of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences (2008-2011, 2012-2015); Member, Editorial Board, Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh (Science) 2010-2012; Editor of one book by Bangladesh Open University; Editor of two other books in Biology - One in English and other in Bangla. Editor of Proceedings on “Food, Health and Environment” published by Bangladesh Academy of Sciences.

He was house Tutor, Dhaka Hall, Dhaka University (1964-1966); Deputy Librarian (1982-1983) and Hall Master (Provost), Ibrahim Imam Hall, University of Maiduguri (1983-1985); Served as member of the Executive Body, Secretary, Vice-President and  President of the Bangladesh Botanical Society; Founder Vice- President of Society of Natural Sciences (Estd. 1960); Vice-President, Asian Environment Society (1979-1981); Founder President, Bangladesh Society of Plant Physiologists; Founder Senior Vice-President, Association of Plant Physiologists of SAARC countries; Member, British Society for Plant Growth Regulation; Life member and Ex-Treasurer, Bangladesh Association of Scientists and Scientific Professions (BASSP); Ex-Council Member, Bangladesh Association for the Advancement of Science (BAAS); Ex-Member of the Executive Board of Society of Conservation of Nature and  Environment (SCONE); Ex-Member, Canadian Botanical Society; Senator of the First Senate of the University of Dhaka; served as Joint Secretary and President of the Teachers and Officers’ Club of Dhaka University; President of two residential areas of Dhaka University - the South Fuller Road  and Issa Khan Road Kalyan Samiti.

He was President of the Rotary Club of Dhaka Buriganga. Assistant Governor, Rotary District 3280 Bangladesh; Director of Vocational Service (2006-2007); Founder Secretary and Past President of Bangladesh Canadian Alumni Association; Treasurer and Joint Secretary of the Islamic Society, University of Bristol, U.K. (1957- 1960); Second Editor out of four, "Plant Science and Man: Problems and Prospects" Proceedings of the International Botanical Conference, Dhaka 1991; Ex. Member of the Governing Council, Independent University of Bangladesh as representative of "Bangladesh Bishwbiddalaya Parishad"; Expert Member of the Selection  Committee for appointment of Readers and Professors of Tribhuban University, Nepal (1988); was Member of the selection committees for appointment of teachers in Dhaka University, Rajshahi University, Chittagong University and Jahangirnagar University. Life member and Fellow Bangla Academy, Life member, Dhaka University Alumni Association. Life member Dhaka University Registered Graduates, Life Member, Bangladesh Botanical Society, Life Member and Fellow Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, Founder President, Dhaka University Botany Alumni Association.

He attended many scientific conferences in many countries and chaired many sessions. Special mention is to be made about International Botanical Congress held in Seattle, USA in 1969; Attended the First (in Philippines) and the Second (in Sri Lanka) International Conference on Winged Bean as an invited delegate by the Asia Foundation. Attended Asian Environmental Society meeting in Tokyo in 1979 and presented country report on “Environmental Problems in Bangladesh”. Sole delegate from Bangladesh in two seminars organized by UNESCO, New Delhi one was "Indo-US Workshop on Photosynthesis" in 1988 and the other "Botany 2000 in Asia" in 1992.

In 1960 he attended and presented a joint paper in the Pan Indian Ocean Science Congress held in Karachi, 1960. Presented scientific research findings in North-West North American Science Conference held in Spokane, Washington, USA in 1968.

Prof. Fattah was also the Chairman, Syllabus and Curriculum Committee at H.S.C. level, Bangladesh Text Book Board. Convenor, National Syllabus Committee in Botany for the Universities of Bangladesh under the auspices of the Bangladesh University Grants Commission. He was involved in the syllabus preparation of the National University of Bangladesh; and Chittagong University, Jahangirnagar University and Dhaka University for many years.

His research areas included studying the effects of both natura and synthetic plant growth regulators (PGR) on germination, different stages of growth, development and yield of various economic crops and also the physiological and biochemical explanations of those.

Professor Quazi Abdul Fattah, was Fellow, Bangladesh Academy of Sciences was a Council Member, Bangladesh Academy of Sciences (1993–1995, 2008-2011), Vice President of the BAS (2012-2015) and he was also the President of the Bangladesh Science Academy. He was a Member, Academic Council and Board of Advanced Studies, Dhaka University (1978-1999). In 2006, he was made an Honorary Fellow of Bangla Academy for his distiguished contribution in Teaching and Research in Botany in Bangladesh.

He visited India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Sarjah, Ajman, Qatar, Italy, East Germany, West Germany, France, Holland, England, Wales, Scotland, Canada, USA, Mexico, Thailand, The Philippines, Hongkong, Japan, Egypt, Lebanon, Greece, Nigeria, Niger, Hawaii, and South Korea.

He visited 54 institutions of world repute at home and abroad. He visited seven Botanical Gardens of world repute in UK, India, France, Sri Lanka, USA and Canada.

Professor Fattah expired on 13 July 2020.