Bangladesh-Japan Bond Boosts B-TOPSE: Building World-Class Software Engineers

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is prioritizing the development of globally competent human resources and the expansion of Bangladesh’s domestic software market over job relocation to Japan. To that end, JICA has been conducting the Bangladesh Top Software Engineer (B-TOPSE) training program—an adaptation of Japan’s Top Software Engineer (TOPSE) initiative of the National Institute of Informatics (NII)—through the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) since 2023.

Under this five-year program, which runs until 2027, 190 engineers from Bangladeshi technology firms have already received specialized training in software architecture, cloud systems, and agile methodologies. The initiative falls under the Project for ICT Engineers Development for the Promotion of the ICT Industry and New Innovations (JICA-BCC-BASIS TCP)—a coordinated effort to enhance the technical capacity of engineers working across Bangladesh’s industry, academia, and government sectors.

In line with this objective, a B-TOPSE Seminar was held on Sunday, October 26, at the BCC Conference Hall of the ICT Tower in Agargaon, Dhaka, featuring in-depth discussions on the future of software engineering education and international collaboration.

Speaking on the occasion, Shoji Akihiro, Chief Advisor of the JICA-BCC-BASIS TCP program, reaffirmed the commitment to strengthening ICT cooperation between Bangladesh and Japan. He remarked, “The B-TOPSE initiative has opened a new chapter in ICT collaboration between Bangladesh and Japan. It will produce highly skilled engineers and make the software industry more competitive.”

Echoing this vision, Mr. Takahashi Naoki, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Japan in Bangladesh, emphasized Japan’s commitment to nurturing world-class IT professionals in Bangladesh. He said that Japan wants Bangladeshi engineers and IT firms not only to excel in Japan but also to demonstrate their expertise in software engineering globally—collaborating and competing equally with international enterprises.

Welcoming this pledge, ICT Secretary Shish Hayder Chowdhury expressed gratitude for JICA’s long-standing friendship and support in transforming Bangladesh’s youth into a skilled workforce. He underscored the importance of sustainable bilateral cooperation and continuous professional development in ICT, saying that the presence of the founders and distinguished academics of TOPSE marked “a new milestone in software engineering education and human resource development between Bangladesh and Japan.”

Highlighting Bangladesh’s vast youth potential, he urged for further expansion of skill development initiatives under the strong and enduring Bangladesh-Japan partnership.

Presenting the developmental trajectory of the B-TOPSE program and the future of software engineering education, Dr. Shinichi Honiden, founder of Japan’s TOPSE program, along with Dr. Kenji Tei and Dr. Takuo Doi, professors at Japan’s National Institute of Informatics (NII), said, “Through this project, high-quality ICT education and training will be further expanded in Bangladesh. It will foster innovation, improve technical expertise, and strengthen the international competitiveness of the country’s technology industry.”

Golam Sarwar, Director of the Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC), explained that the B-TOPSE program mirrors Japan’s TOPSE model, with the goal of producing highly skilled software engineers capable of handling large and complex projects as “super architects.” He added that the initiative would play a crucial role in driving innovation and competitiveness in Bangladesh’s ICT sector.

A total of 130 participants—including trained software engineers, university professors, IT entrepreneurs, BCC officials, and project associates—attended the seminar. It was announced that the fifth batch of B-TOPSE training would commence on October 27.

Participants expressed optimism that through this program, Bangladesh would strengthen its ICT industry’s global position by advancing engineering expertise, innovation, and merit-based competitiveness on the international stage.