Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Haque Milan has called on public and private universities, the University Grants Commission (UGC), and related stakeholders to take coordinated measures to enhance research excellence and protect intellectual property. Speaking as chief guest at a workshop marking World Intellectual Property Day 2026 at the UGC in Dhaka on Sunday morning, he advised organizing competitions across universities to raise awareness about innovation and intellectual property protection.

The minister emphasized that the government will provide full support to increase the number of patents and safeguard researchers’ rights. He identified brain drain as a major obstacle to national research and development and urged efforts to address its root causes. UGC Chairman Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed, who presided over the event, said the commission is working to build an innovation ecosystem and establish Intellectual Property Cells and Technology Transfer Offices in universities to ensure commercialization of research outcomes.

Speakers at the event noted that although thousands of research projects are conducted annually, only a small fraction result in patent applications. They stressed the need for stronger institutional support and policy frameworks to translate academic research into practical innovations benefiting society.