Dhaka: A Dhaka University (DU) Professor has been appointed as an expert environmental chemist to the 21-member Independent Scientific Panel on Effects of Nuclear War (ISPESW) of the United Nations.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Prof Dr. Md. Ahsan Habib from the Chemistry department has been recognized as the first Bangladeshi to join this prestigious panel. The New York-based research panel, operating under the United Nations, is tasked with assessing and understanding real-world implications of nuclear war and post-nuclear accident scenarios.
Professor Habib will contribute to the panel by analyzing the potential adverse effects of nuclear war and nuclear power plant accidents on the environment and biodiversity, as well as working to develop remedial measures. Prof Ahsan Habib began his academic career at the Chemistry department in 2005 as an Assistant Professor. He holds undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Chemistry and completed his Ph.D. at Saga University in Japan.
His academic journey includes roles as a research fellow at several Japanese institutions, such as the University of Tokyo and Yokohama University, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences in China. He also serves as a visiting professor at various universities in China and Japan. Furthermore, since 2024, he has been an expert member of 'The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW-Network),' focusing on the prohibition of nuclear weapons. Prof Habib's research interests encompass fundamental chemistry, environmental chemistry, organic pollution, the effects of heavy metals on living organisms, and particulate matter. He has authored 81 research articles in national and international journals.