Bridging Gaps for Growth: Call for Policy Pace to Match Technology
Business leaders and academics have warned that building a sustainable innovation culture in Bangladesh will remain difficult unless the right technologies are adopted at the right time. They stressed the need for policy frameworks to evolve at the same pace as technological change. Academics also noted that industry associations can play a crucial bridging role between industry and academia. Speakers further called for the resumption of internship programmes under the Bangladesh Computer Council for fourth-year undergraduate students, and urged the practice of ISO standards from the innovation stage through to industrial application in order to maintain global competitiveness.
These views were expressed at a seminar on “What Bangladesh Needs to Do to Build an Innovation Ecosystem”, held on Wednesday, January 28, in the afternoon at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the capital.
On the first day of the Digital Device and Innovation Expo 2026, a panel discussion titled “Bridging Gaps in the Innovation Ecosystem: What Bangladesh Needs to Do” took place at the Windy Town Hall.
The panel discussion was moderated by Md Anwar Hossain, Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology. Panelists included Mohammad Abu Saeed, Director General of the ICT Directorate; Professor Dr ABM Alim Al Islam of BUET; Mohammad Aminul Haque, Finance Secretary of BAKKO; Dr Md Tayebur Rahman, Director General (Additional Charge) of the National Cyber Security Agency (NCA); Md Abdur Rafiq, Project Director of a2i; Murtuza Zulkarnain Noman, Project Director of the iDEA project; and Atik E Rabbani, Senior Member of the Bangladesh Computer Samity.
Speakers at the seminar noted that the government has undertaken significant initiatives in digital transformation over the years. The current priority, they said, is to ensure effective coordination among these efforts. With a focus on inclusive digital development, the interim government has recently prepared key legal instruments within a short time, including the Personal Data Protection Ordinance, the National Data Governance Agency Ordinance, and the National Cyber Security Ordinance covering the use of artificial intelligence. The speakers emphasised that collective efforts are now required to ensure that desired citizen services are delivered efficiently.
The organisers also said that the entire exhibition venue will be brought under Wi-Fi coverage through satellite internet technology, allowing visitors to directly experience this advanced form of connectivity.
They further informed that the exhibition will be open daily from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm. While entry to the exhibition is free, visitors are required to register either online at www.ddiexpo.com.bd or through on-the-spot registration.
DBTech/FA/SD/OR
