Dhaka, May 16 -- Founded in 1973 to drive national development through peaceful nuclear technology, the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) inherited a legacy of research that began in the then East Pakistan in 1962-an era when atomic energy commissions in South Asia, notably in India and Pakistan, rose to become elite institutions under the direct authority of their Prime Ministers.

These bodies gained global acclaim, with their scientists honored as national icons.

Yet, in stark contrast, Bangladesh's post-independence leadership subjected BAEC to bureaucratic subordination under shifting ministries-first Energy, then Education, and now Science and Technology-rather than granting it the strategic autonomy it deserved.

This for...