Mercantile Bank PLC has funded an agricultural research project at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) titled “Development of a Hybrid Dryer System to Reduce Crop and Fish Post-Harvest Losses,” which concluded on Sunday with a formal workshop.
The project was made possible through a donation of Tk. 1.60 crore from the bank’s special Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fund, enabling the university to develop and deploy innovative technology to support the nation’s farmers and fishers, says a press release.
The event was presided over by Professor Dr Md Abdul Mojid of the Department of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, with Professor Dr. AK Fazlul Haque Bhuiyan, Vice-Chancellor of BAU, serving as the chief patron. Md Zakir Hossain, Deputy Managing Director and Chief Risk Officer, Dr Tapas Chandra Paul, Deputy Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of Mercantile Bank and Professor Dr. Md. Monjurul Alam, Technical Specialist of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Bangladesh were present as Special Guests.
The session included agricultural entrepreneurs, beneficiaries, scientists, and students. Through this CSR donation, Mercantile Bank PLC has bridged the gap between academic innovation and field application, minimizing post-harvest losses to strengthen national food security.
