The “Mir Moinul Huq and John Talent Memorial Endowment Fund” was established on 2 June 2026 at the Department of Geology, University of Dhaka, to honor two distinguished geoscientists: Mir Moinul Huq (1947–2020), a pioneering Bangladeshi petroleum geoscientist, and Professor Emeritus John Alfred Talent (1932–2024), a world-renowned Australian paleontologist. The fund was created through a donation of BDT 10 million by Dr. Mobinul Huq, Professor of Economics at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, in memory of his late elder brother Mir Moinul Huq and Professor John Talent, his brother’s M.S. supervisor and mentor. 

The Endowment Fund aims to promote academic excellence and advanced research in geology and petroleum geoscience by supporting scholarships, fellowships, field investigations, scientific events, academic publications, and modern research facilities. It is expected to strengthen the Department of Geology’s research capacity and help develop future generations of geoscientists in Bangladesh.

Inaugural Ceremony

The inaugural ceremony and signing of the Endowment Fund Agreement were held on 2 June 2026 at Professor M. A. Latif Auditorium, Department of Geology, University of Dhaka. Organized jointly by the Department of Geology and the Dhaka University Geological Alumni Association, the event was attended by Professor Dr. Abdus Salam, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academic), as Chief Guest, and Professor Dr. Md. Humayun Kabir, Dean of the Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, as Special Guest. The ceremony was chaired by Professor Md. Bodruddoza Mia, Chairman of the Department of Geology.

 Mir Moinul Huq &  Professor John Alfred Talent

The event was attended by faculty members, researchers, students, alumni, geologists, and distinguished guests. Members of Mir Moinul Huq’s family, representatives of the Mir Moinul Huq Memorial Group, and Mr. Mollah Amzad Hossain, Editor of Energy & Power magazine, were also present.

Biography and Legacy

Mir Moinul Huq

The late Mir Moinul Huq was one of the most distinguished alumni of the Department of Geology, University of Dhaka, and a pioneering figure in Bangladesh’s oil and gas sector. Born on 10 May 1947, he completed his geology education at the University of Dhaka in the late 1960s and passed away on 26 August 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. He is remembered for his scientific excellence, professional integrity, and significant contributions to the nation’s energy sector.

Mr. Huq began his career in 1970 with the Oil and Gas Development Corporation and later served in Petrobangla and BAPEX in senior technical and leadership positions. He played a key role in the exploration, discovery, and development of several major gas fields in Bangladesh, including Titas, Bakhrabad, Habiganj, Rashidpur, Shahbazpur, Fenchuganj, Kamta, Narsingdi, Meghna, and Salda Nadi. His expertise in stratigraphy, basin evolution, structural geology, and petroleum systems earned him recognition as one of the country’s leading geoscientists.

He also contributed significantly to the modernization of Bangladesh’s petroleum sector by introducing computer-based mud logging systems and facilitating advanced overseas training for geoscientists. He participated in major reserve reassessment studies, including the re-evaluation of the Titas Gas Field, which strengthened national gas resource planning.

Beyond exploration, Mr. Huq served as a respected policy expert in hydrocarbon resource evaluation, contributing to energy policy development, reserve estimation, and collaborative initiatives with international organizations. After retirement, he continued to serve as a consultant to the Hydrocarbon Unit under the Energy and Mineral Resources Division and remained active in academia as a part-time lecturer at the University of Dhaka and Jahangirnagar University. He also served as a national consultant for UNDP.

Throughout his career, Mr. Huq was known for his integrity, humility, professionalism, honesty, and commitment to mentoring young geoscientists. He remains a role model and an enduring source of inspiration for generations of petroleum geologists in Bangladesh.

Mir Moinul Huq Memorial Technical Lecture Series

To preserve and promote the legacy of Mir Moinul Huq, the Mir Moinul Huq Memorial Technical Lecture Series was established in 2020 following his passing on 26 August 2020. Since its inception, the series has evolved into an international platform for geoscience knowledge exchange, bringing together experts, researchers, and professionals from Bangladesh and abroad. It serves as a valuable forum for continuing education, professional development, and the sharing of advances across diverse geoscience disciplines.

To date, twenty-five online lectures, including annual memorial meetings, have been organized through Zoom. These events regularly attract 60–100 participants and connect geoscientists from Bangladesh, the USA, Canada, Norway, the UK, Germany, Australia, the UAE, Brunei, Peru, and other countries.

The lecture series and its associated memorial activities have been organized by a dedicated coordinating team comprising Mr. Huq’s close friends and professional colleagues. Naz Hussain, one of his closest friends, serves as Chairperson and leads the initiative from Houston, while Nazim Ahmed, a geologist based in Calgary, serves as Chief Coordinator. The virtual sessions have been supported from Dhaka and moderated by Md. Jasim Uddin, retired geologist of Petrobangla; Monwar Ahmed, retired geologist of Kuwait Oil Company; and Mortuza Ahmad Faruque, former Managing Director of BAPEX.

Professor John Alfred Talent

Professor John Alfred Talent, M.S., supervisor of Mir Moinul Huq, was a distinguished Australian paleontologist and stratigrapher whose pioneering work contributed significantly to global geoscience and the development of the Department of Geology at the University of Dhaka. As a UNESCO Professor in the late 1960s, he introduced advanced paleontological methods and helped train an early generation of Bangladeshi geoscientists.

In 1969, he supervised four M.S. students in Paleontology, including Mir Moinul Huq, providing close mentorship through field and laboratory research. He participated in geological investigations, including micropaleontological studies in the Surma Basin. Although his tenure at Dhaka was brief, he made several return visits to continue supervision and attended thesis presentations. He also taught Invertebrate Paleontology at both B.Sc. and M.Sc. levels. Internationally, he was recognized for his contributions to Paleozoic stratigraphy and marine paleobiology and served as President of the International Paleontological Association. His mentor–student relationship with Mir Moinul Huq evolved into a lifelong friendship and professional collaboration.

Utilization of the Fund

Under the Endowment Fund framework, 30% of the fund will be used to establish the Moinul–Talent Graduate Research Laboratory, equipped with modern computers, geoscience software, servers, and multimedia facilities. The fund will also support laboratory maintenance and upgrades. In addition, an annual memorial technical lecture, preferably in hydrocarbon exploration or petroleum geology, will be organized in honor of Mir Moinul Huq.

The remaining 70% will be invested in a fixed deposit in a state-owned bank. The income generated will support scholarships and fellowships for PhD, MPhil, and MS/MSc students, geological fieldwork, laboratory analysis, scientific events, publication support, and laboratory operations. Priority will be given to students specializing in petroleum geoscience, while support will remain open to other geology disciplines based on merit and research potential.

Governance and Management

The Endowment Fund will be administered through a structured governance framework to ensure transparency and accountability. An Endowment Fund Management Committee, comprising the Chairman of the Department, three faculty members, and Dr. Mobinul Huq as family representative, will oversee the fund. Separate committees will be responsible for student selection and laboratory management, ensuring effective implementation of scholarships, research support, and laboratory operations.

Observations

The establishment of the Endowment Fund marks a significant milestone in preserving the scientific legacy of Mir Moinul Huq and John Alfred Talent, while also fostering future generations of geoscientists. By combining long-term financial sustainability with targeted academic and research support, the initiative is expected to significantly enhance the Department of Geology’s capacity in teaching, research, and innovation. Beyond infrastructure and funding, it symbolizes a continuing bridge between mentorship, international collaboration, and national scientific development, ensuring that the contributions of both mentor and mentee continue to inspire and guide future scholars.

Mortuza Ahmad Faruque, Former Managing Director, BAPEX.

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