For the first time Professor Kamaluddin Ahmad Memorial Lecture was held at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of DhakaIn memory of Professor Kamaluddin Ahmad, an eminent professor of Biochemistry and a world renowned scientist, the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka organized the 1st memorial lecture on Professor Ahmad on February 15, 2017. The founder of the Departments of Biochemistry and Pharmacy and Institute of Nutrition and Food Sciences at the University of Dhaka, Professor Ahmad pioneered the biomedical education and research in Bangladesh. After receiving his Ph.D. in Biochemistry in 1949 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, U.S.A., Professor Ahmad started teaching chemistry at the University of Dhaka and later founded the Department of Biochemistry in 1957 at Dhaka, first of its kind in the Indian subcontinent. He also tackled some of country’s worst health crises, such as lathyrism, goiter, tetanus and blindness. Professor Kamaluddin Ahmad, with an international team of researchers conducted the first East Pakistan Nutrition Survey in 1962-64. Regarded as one of the most comprehensive nutrition surveys in the world, the 1962-64 survey first time revealed the depth and breadth of nutritional problem in Bangladesh. It was Professor Ahmad’s work that led the UNICEF mandating high potency vitamin A capsules to fight blindness and iodized salt to prevent goiter. This visionary professor and scientist died in 2004 at the age of 83. In remembrance of Professor Kamaluddin Ahmad’s life and legacy, the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology for the first time organized the memorial lecture. Honorable Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dhaka, Dr. A.A.M.S. Arefin Siddique graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. Professor Dr. Imdadul Hoque, honorable Dean of Biological Science, DU, and Mrs. Nahar Kamal Ahmad, wife of late Professor Ahmad were present as Special Guests. Ms. Fawzia Ahmed and Mr. Nazir Ahmad, children of Professor Ahmad and other members of the family were also present. This year’s memorial lecture was delivered by Dr. Mustafizur Rahman, former Professor of Biochemistry and also a student of Professor Ahmad. A video documentary on Professor Kamaluddin Ahmad was presented by Dr. Sohel Shamsuzzaman, an Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, DU, and the recipient of the Kamaluddin Ahmad Distinguished Graduate Scholarship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The Kamaluddin Ahmad Graduate Scholarship has been created to build bridge between Wisconsin’s Department of Biochemistry and Bangladeshi institutions. Under this scholarship program Bangladeshi meritorious students with a humble background will earn their Ph.D. in Integrated Program in Biochemistry (IPiB: https://ipib.wisc.edu/) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and must return to Bangladesh after completion of doctoral studies, following the same path that Professor Ahmad took years ago. Presence of current students, alumni and Professor Ahmad’s family made the program a successful one. The event was chaired by Dr. M. Sayedul Islam, Professor and Chairman, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka.

Written by:

Dr. Sohel Shamsuzzaman
Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000.