Bangladesh aims to build its AI future around the Bengali language and youth

Policymakers, technology leaders and international experts have called on Bangladesh to formulate a comprehensive national roadmap on artificial intelligence (AI) governance and digital diplomacy as the country prepares to assume the presidency of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

The call came during the second virtual town hall on "National Artificial Intelligence Governance and Diplomacy," organized by the International Trade, Investment and Technology (ITIT) Wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).

Speakers said Bangladesh's upcoming UNGA presidency presents a rare opportunity to position itself as a leading voice in global AI governance, ethical technology, and inclusive digital diplomacy. They stressed that the country should move beyond being merely an importer of AI technologies by investing in Bangla-language AI, developing a skilled workforce, engaging young people in policymaking, and leveraging the expertise of the Bangladeshi diaspora.

The session was moderated by Dr. Syed Muntasir Mamun, Director General of the ITIT Wing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Participants included Prof. Alamgir Hossain, CEO of UK-based technology company D-Ready and Founder of the AI Bridge Forum; Megan Townes, Head of Education for Asia-Pacific at Canva; Sagari Chatterjee, South Asia Representative at Canva; Dipti Das, Head of English and School Education at British Council Bangladesh; Riad Hasan Badsha, Vice Chairperson of the Bangladesh Youth Internet Governance Forum (Youth IGF); Shamima Akhter, Chairperson of the Bangladesh Women Internet Governance Forum (BWIGF); Dr. Philippe Reinisch, Founder of Austria-based SILKROAD 4.0; Mahmudul Hasan, Founder of the social enterprise Shokriyo; AHM Bazlur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of the Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC); Ratul, Counsellor at the Bangladesh Embassy in Addis Ababa; Aysha Labiba, Coordinator of the Bangladesh Kids Internet Governance Forum (BKIGF); S. M. Imdadul Haq, Executive Editor of digibanglatech.news; alongside representatives from the Bangladesh Internet Governance Forum, diplomats, academics, researchers, technology professionals and members of civil society.

Proposal for Bangladesh AI Observatory
Participants reiterated a proposal to establish a Bangladesh Artificial Intelligence Observatory under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to monitor national and international AI policies and governance developments.

The proposed institution would oversee AI-related policy monitoring, assess Bangladesh's performance in global digital governance indicators—including the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and the Internet Governance Forum (IGF)—maintain a registry of AI applications across government agencies, and conduct AI risk assessments.

To support the initiative, speakers proposed five thematic working groups covering AI governance, security and human rights; global digital diplomacy; sustainable development and economic transformation; infrastructure, data and technological sovereignty; and skills development and workforce preparedness.

National AI Summit Planned
Opening the discussion, Dr. Mamun said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would not directly formulate national AI policy but would facilitate an open platform connecting Bangladesh with global AI diplomacy initiatives.

He announced plans to organize a National AI Summit, where policymakers, industry leaders and international partners would discuss Bangladesh's strategic positioning, international collaboration and AI governance priorities.

He also said the ministry intends to engage an estimated 12 to 13 million Bangladeshi expatriates worldwide to incorporate their expertise and experience into national AI planning.

Bangla Language AI Takes Center Stage
Ratul, Counsellor at the Bangladesh Embassy in Addis Ababa, said language remains one of the biggest barriers for countries in the Global South.

He emphasized the need to integrate Bangla into Natural Language Processing (NLP) systems and Large Language Models (LLMs), arguing that Bangladesh has the potential not only to adopt foreign AI technologies but also to lead international collaboration in Bangla-language AI development.

Speakers agreed that linguistic inclusion is essential for ensuring fairness in global AI systems. They also highlighted the importance of digital sovereignty, local data ecosystems and algorithmic impact assessments.

Greater Youth Participation
Riad Hasan Badsha said young people should be viewed not merely as beneficiaries of AI but as active partners and co-designers of AI governance frameworks.

He urged policymakers to classify AI systems used in education, scholarships and employment as high-risk applications requiring greater transparency and accountability. He also called for AI literacy to be integrated into the national curriculum and for Bangladesh's language and local realities to be reflected in international AI policymaking.

AI Literacy Must Become a National Priority
Dr. Philippe Reinisch said a country's greatest AI asset is not data centers or graphics processing units (GPUs), but an informed and AI-literate population.

He noted that today's schoolchildren will become tomorrow's AI entrepreneurs and policymakers, making it essential to teach AI literacy, digital safety, algorithmic decision-making and misinformation detection from an early age.

He also called for measurable national AI literacy benchmarks for both teachers and students.

AI Adoption for SMEs
Private-sector representatives observed that Bangladesh's economy is largely driven by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the informal sector, yet AI adoption remains limited among these businesses.

They recommended affordable AI solutions, financial support and policy incentives to help SMEs embrace AI technologies, arguing that wider adoption would improve productivity, generate employment and enhance the country's global competitiveness.

International Cooperation in Education
Representatives from Canva announced that Canva for Education would remain available free of charge for teachers and students in Bangladesh from pre-primary through Grade 12.

The company also expressed its willingness to collaborate on AI skills development, localized educational content and teacher training.

Future Action Plan
The town hall reached broad consensus on several strategic initiatives, including drafting a National AI Vision document, mobilizing blended financing for AI initiatives, preparing the charter and terms of reference for the proposed Bangladesh AI Observatory, submitting policy recommendations to the ICT Division and the Cabinet Division, launching an AI Governance and Digital Diplomacy School under the Bangladesh Internet Governance Forum, and ensuring government participation in the upcoming DCCI AI Summit scheduled for August.

Participants concluded that meaningful implementation of Bangladesh's international AI commitments will require coordinated action by government institutions, the private sector, academia, civil society and development partners.

They agreed that by strategically investing in language technologies, human capital, youth leadership, SME development and international digital diplomacy, Bangladesh can emerge not only as a user of artificial intelligence but also as an influential contributor to global AI governance.
//DBTech/IH/SMH//