World Cotton Day 2026 Celebrated with Zeal and Spirit at CEMB, University of the Punjab
7 October 2026: The Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB), University of the Punjab, celebrated World Cotton Day 2026 with great zeal and spirit. The event, themed Celebrating the day of a crop that has the potential to shape the economy of Pakistan, brought together scientists, researchers, industry representatives, students and faculty.
The programme began at 1000 am with a recitation from the Holy Quran. In his message, Prof. Dr. Moazur Rahman Director CEMB highlighted the importance of improving cotton, a crop vital to Pakistan’s economy, and the role CEMB plays in its research and development. MPhil and PhD students of CEMB then presented a video message on World Cotton Day, in which CEMB researchers also stressed the need for crop improvement and the Centre’s contribution to this effort.
Former Director CEMB, Prof. Dr. Kausar Malik, along with CEMB Researchers also shared a message underlining the significance of improving this important crop and CEMB’s role in cotton research. They wished all the participants a happy World Cotton Day.
Dr. Qamar Shakeel, Member Research and Development, NSDRA, briefed the audience on NSDRA’s contribution to cotton development in Pakistan. Prof. Dr. Bushra Rashid spoke on the global significance of World Cotton Day and Pakistan’s cotton challenge. Prof. Dr. Abdul Qayyum Rao discussed the emerging challenges facing cotton and their possible solutions through the CEMB platform. International participation added to the occasion. Dr. Sadia Hoque Tamanna, Scientific Officer at the Cotton Development Board, Bangladesh, spoke on the impact of cotton on the Bangladeshi economy. Video messages were also presented by
Dr. Fakhriddin Kushanov, Director, IGPEB, Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, Tashkent
Dr. Cuma Karaoglu, Director, Central Crop Research Institute, Ankara, Türkiye
Dr. Fakhre Alam, Former Executive Director, Cotton Development Board, Bangladesh
Dr. Ruhangiz Mammadova, Genetic Resources Institute, Baku, Azerbaijan
Dr. Allah Bakhsh delivered a presentation titled Journey of cotton from small tree to modern day plant. The audience also watched a video documentary on the cotton research work of CEMB researchers.
The event concluded with a campus walk from the Director’s office to the Guest House, in which participants joined in celebrating the day. The Director, Prof. Moazur Rahman, and CEMB researchers extended their best wishes to all attendees on World Cotton Day.