Khulna is the third largest city of Bangladesh. Since the partition of British India in 1947, the city has been growing up as an important complex of trade, commerce and industries, especially the jute industries. With a view to justifying its ever-increasing importance, Khulna Division was created in 1960. Khulna City attained the metropolitan status by its own characteristics in 1984. Since there was no University in this region in the early sixties, there arose a demand for setting up a University in Khulna to cater for the growing educational needs. As a result, Khulna University was established in 1987. In 1990, Khulna University Act was passed in the Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament) and the academic activities started on 25 November, 1991. Khulna University stands on the Khulna–Satkhira road, about four kilometers away from the heart of the city. The site has pleasant natural surrounding facing north to a large flat area, which is suitable for building an ideal and modern University campus.

Khulna University started Biotechnology education at undergraduate level in 1995 which was the first of its kind in Bangladesh. Later on, the Discipline was renamed as Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Discipline in 2003. At present the Discipline offers four years Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) and 18-months MS program and PhD program. The course curriculum is focused on the development needs and covers multidisciplinary subject areas to create appropriate knowledge base to cope with fast paced technological advancements. The research activities at the department are focused on various aspects of animal, plant, microbial, environmental, food, medical, process engineering and industrial Biotechnology which encompass both basic and applied research.