Sylhet Agricultural University (SAU) has passed 15 years of success. The university started its academic operation on November 2, 2006 with the aim of teaching agriculture and creating skilled graduates in the Alurtal area of Sylhet city, surrounded by hills and plains. This university has shown unique success in agricultural innovation. At present, there are 47 departments in 6 faculties. The small and big hills have enhanced the beauty of the SAU campus which is built on an area of about 50 acres. An external campus and research ground of the university has been constructed on 12 acres of land along the Sylhet-Jaflong-Tamabil bypass road. Graduates of this university today are successful in the country and abroad. It is good to think that all of them are now brightening the face of the university in their respective fields and are making important contributions to the development of agriculture in Bangladesh.
This university has succeeded because of the care students receive from the teachers of the university. Besides teaching in the university, research activities are being carried out by teachers with the help of various national and international organizations. In recognition of this, more than 100 research articles by university teachers have been published in the International Scopus Index Journal during the global Covid-19 epidemic. Researchers are working to improve the quality of flora and fauna in Haor through integrated farm management. Fields used to remain barren in winter in Boro crop dependent Haor region. SAU has taken various steps to improve the living standards of marginal farmers of different haors including haors of Sunamganj. Research on spice crops is also going on. To diversity the crop management. Two varieties of protein rich Sikribi bean-1 and Sikribi bean-2 are expected to meet the year round protein demand in Sylhet region.
An automated agrometherological station has been set up to provide information on agro-climatic conditions in the Sylhet region. The teachers and students of the university have shown surprising result by innovating and researching in the field of agriculture. Several teachers and students of the university won national and international awards for this. Success in early rice cultivation to alleviate poverty in Haor, innovation of summer bean and tomato varieties according to Sylhet climate, innovation of four grades of tea accurately through tea image processing technology through modern computer vision, invention of automatic irrigation system, innovative technologies to reduce the pressure on declining land by producing more crops from a single place, various research including invention of vaccines to prevent fish plague, as well as protection of endangered species of fish have been carried out by students and teachers of SAU.
Registrar of the University Md Badrul Islam Shoaib said that all the concerned people including the teachers, officers and employees are working to carry out all the educational, research and administrative activities in accordance with the proper hygiene rules. He said the graduates in this university are at the forefront of educational research as well as industrial culture and are putting their signature of merit at home and abroad. Convener of Dean Council Professor Muhammad Rashed Al Mamun said that in order to enable the students of Sylhet Agricultural University to survive in the national and international arena, the teaching and examinations are continuing as per the government guidelines even during the Covid-19 epidemic. Sylhet Agricultural University Vice Chancellor Prof. Md. Matiar Rahman Hawlader said a state-of-the-art laboratory has been set up in different faculties of Sylhet Agricultural University as part of a 20-year infrastructure development plan as well as a 30-year academic plan. Due to this, online educational activities including conducting research activities have been conducted in the university even during the Corona period. He commented that it is possible to build this university as a center of excellence with the cooperation of all.
