− From the Chief Editor’s Desk 
 

ON THE CELEBRATION OF 20 YEARS’ ENDEAVOUR  
TO PROMOTE RESEARCH IN PLANT TAXONOMY  

 
 Plant Taxonomy, the oldest branch of Botanical Science and the mother of all other 
branches of botany takes pieces of evidence from other branches, like anatomy, cytology, 
genetics, phytochemistry, reproductive biology, ecology, physiology, molecular biology, 
biodiversity, and environmental science. Hence taxonomy is now a very dynamic and synthetic 
science. With the expansion of the field of taxonomic research, the taxonomists now need to 
work more and on diverse subjects. For better contribution to the scientific world and to the 
nation they should come together, be together and work together.  

 With the increase in the number of plant taxonomists in Bangladesh, they felt to come on a 
common platform to render better service to the nation. Professor A.B.M. Enayet Hossain 
initiated a proposal to form an association of practicing plant taxonomists of Bangladesh. This 
noble proposal was supported by the senior plant taxonomists of the country, like Professor Md. 
Salar Khan, Professor A.K.M. Nurul Islam and others. On the 3rd March 1992, a group of plant 
taxonomists under the Chairmanship of Professor Md. Salar Khan, gathered at the Bangladesh 
National Herbarium (housed at BARC Building near Farmgate, Dhaka) to discuss the formation 
of an association of plant taxonomists of the country. This resulted in the formation of 
Bangladesh Association of Plant Taxonomists (BAPT) with 21 Founder Life Members. The 
first general meeting of the BAPT was held on the 31st December 1992. In the first general 
meeting, the draft constitution and the first Executive Committee of the Association (1993-1995) 
with Professor Md. Salar Khan as the President were approved. 

 The first volume of the Bangladesh Journal of Plant Taxonomy (BJPT) was published in 
June 1994. Since then BAPT has been regularly publishing two issues of the Journal per year. 
The present volume of BJPT is the 20th Volume, which indicates its regular publication as well 
as the continuity of the valuable contributions to plant taxonomy and biodiversity research. 

 Since the publication of the first volume, BJPT has gradually earned its reputation with 
significant impact factor and has been able to attract foreign authors to publish their valuable 
work in this journal. Volume 1 (numbers 1 & 2) of the BJPT which was published in 1994 
contained in total 14 articles by Bangladeshi authors and based on Bangladeshi materials in 179 
pages without any coverage by abstracting agencies. At the end of 20 years, Volume 20 
(numbers 1 & 2) of the BJPT that has just been published (2013) contains a total of 30 articles of 
which 22 are by authors from around the globe. The Journal is now covered by all leading 
abstracting agencies and enjoys ISI Impact Factor. 

 This outstanding transformation was only possible due to the able leadership from the 
Editors of BJPT. The first Chief Editor of BJPT was Professor Md. Salar Khan who continued 
till his death in 2002 [Volume 1 - 9(1)]. Professor Khan was followed by Professor A.K.M. 



 

Nurul Islam who continued to render his service as the Chief Editor till his demise in 2006 
[Volume 9(2) - 13(1)]. Volumes 13(2) and 14(1 & 2) of BJPT were published under the Chief 
Editorship of Professor A.B.M. Enayet Hossain. The present Chief Editor had to take the 
responsibility in 2008. The current reputation of BJPT  is due to the cumulative efforts given by 
all its Chief Editors, members of Editorial Board and the Executive Editors − Dr. Haseeb Md. 
Irfanullah (Volumes 13-16) and Professor Md. Oliur Rahman (Volume 17 to date). The Journal 
would not achieve its present status without the support rendered by the reviewers, and of course 
the heart of the Journal − the authors from Bangladesh and abroad. I sincerely offer my 
gratefulness to all of them. 

 It was only in 2007, BJPT was first indexed by the Institute of Scientific Information (ISI) 
and the first ISI Impact Factor was received in 2010. Research papers exclusively authored by 
foreign authors first appeared in 2007, the number is gradually increasing every year. I sincerely 
thank all foreign authors (previous and present) for selecting BJPT to publish their valuable 
research works and hope that they will continue in keeping trust on BJPT. 

 At the time of celebrating 20 years’ of publication of Bangladesh Journal of Plant 
Taxonomy, I remember the valuable contributions of Professor Md. Salar Khan and Professor 
A.K.M. Nurul Islam, and pray for their departed souls. 

  

 

Professor Dr. Md. Abul Hassan 
Chief Editor 
Bangladesh Journal of Plant Taxonomy