Jashore University of Science and Technology (JUST) has achieved a significant milestone in research collaboration with the Bangladesh Forest Research Institute (BFRI). Dr. S. M. Khaledur Rahman, Associate Professor, Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (GEBT), along with Co-Principal Investigator Prof. Dr. Md. Nazmul Hasan, Professor of the same department, have been awarded a research grant of BDT 2.067 million.

The funded project, titled “Optimizing Nanoparticle-Based Fungal Inoculation for Enhanced Agarwood Resin Formation in Aquilaria malaccensis”, aims to revolutionize agarwood production by integrating advanced biotechnology with sustainable forest practices. This research is expected to contribute significantly to Bangladesh’s forestry sector and global agarwood markets.

The official contract signing ceremony took place at the BFRI office in Chittagong on 22 December 2025, where Dr. Khaled and Prof. Hasan formally joined the initiative. Their work promises to strengthen the bridge between academic research and applied forestry innovation.