Dr. Shaikh Mohammad Bokhtiar joined Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) on December 31, 2019 as Executive Chairman (In-charge). Earlier, Dr. Bokhtiar served as the Member Director (Planning and Evaluation) in the same organization. He is also serving as the Director (SAARC Agriculture Centre), BARC Complex, Farmgate, Dhaka
Dr. S M Bokhtiar obtained B.Sc. Ag (Hons.) degree from Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh in 1985 and MS (Soil Science) from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU), Gazipur in 1999. He obtained a Ph.D. from the United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Ehime University, Japan in 2006. Dr. Bokhtiar also worked as a post-doctoral research fellow at Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangxi, China for two years where his research work was on Silicon Nutrition of Sugarcane Crop.
He started his carrier as a Scientific Officer in Farming Systems Research and Development Project (FSR&D) at Bangladesh Sugarcrop Research Institute (BSRI) in 1989. He was promoted as Senior Scientific Officer and also performed as the Head of Soils & Nutrition Division, BSRI. Subsequently, he was appointed as Principal Scientific Officer (PSO) at Soils Unit of Natural Resources Management Division of BARC in 2012. During his service at BARC Dr. Bokhtiar also served as the Director (Support Service) and Director (Technology Transfer and Monitoring).
Dr. Bokhtiar has 60 published research papers with total citations of 450 (according to Google Scholar) and he is the author of eight books. Dr. Bokhtiar attended several national and international seminars, workshop,s and training programs at home and abroad. In connection with official assignments, he visited several countries like Japan, Thailand, China, Egypt, Philippine, Malaysia, Mongolia, South Korea, Pakistan, New Zealand, India, USA, Ghana, Ethiopia, Australia, France, Germany, Netherland, Kenya, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.
Born in a respected Muslim family in 1963 in the village Fakirpara under Chapainawabganj District Dr. Bokhtiar is the father of two sons. Spouse Wahida Akhter is a Joint Secretary level officer recruited under 13th BCS (Admin). His father Mr. Sheikh Lal Mohammad was an ideal school teacher and also a renowned vocalist.