Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Minister Professor Dr. A.Z.M. Zahid Hossain announced that an international-standard DNA laboratory will be established in Dhaka. He stated that with a population of 25 million and a growing number of DNA tests each year, the ministry’s forensic DNA laboratory will be upgraded into a modern facility. The announcement was made during a meeting of the Forensic DNA Laboratory Advisory Council at the National Science and Technology Complex in Agargaon, Dhaka.

The minister said that DNA screening laboratories at divisional levels will gradually be upgraded into fully self-sufficient profiling labs. He noted that the current forensic DNA lab equipment is over 15 years old, significantly reducing efficiency, and emphasized the need for new machines to ensure quality, purity, and accuracy in sample analysis. The ministry plans to integrate all forensic DNA reports into a centralized database under the Directorate of DNA Laboratory Management.

The advisory council also discussed staffing needs, database development, amendments to DNA laws and regulations, recruitment of qualified personnel, and setting analysis fees. Senior officials from the ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office attended the meeting.