Bangladesh targets tech exports

Bangladesh must move beyond being a consumer of foreign technologies and emerge as a producer and exporter by leveraging domestic innovation, research and technological capabilities, Science and Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam said.

He said the government is working to establish a global “Made in Bangladesh” brand in artificial intelligence, semiconductor design, software, data centres and digital services.

The minister made the remarks as the chief guest at the Bangladesh ICT and Innovation Awards 2026 at the BRAC University Auditorium in Badda, Dhaka, on Saturday.

He said Bangladesh, under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, is moving from a labour-intensive economy towards a knowledge-based economy. The government aims to strengthen Bangladesh’s position as one of the world’s leading digital economies within the next five years.

Young people’s innovative thinking, technological skills and research capacity will be critical to achieving that goal, he said.

Praising young innovators, Faqir Mahbub Anam said, “Standing in this auditorium today, I do not see merely some young faces; I see a reflection of a prosperous and modern Bangladesh of tomorrow. Instead of complaining when faced with problems, they have used their talent to develop practical solutions.”

A total of 355 innovative projects were submitted across sectors for this year’s Bangladesh ICT and Innovation Awards. Forty experienced judges from industry, academia, banking, public administration and the startup ecosystem evaluated the projects over two days.

A total of nine Champion, 10 Winner and 25 Merit awards were presented.

The minister said the large number of innovative initiatives demonstrates that Bangladesh’s young people possess substantial talent and innovative capacity.

Highlighting the country’s digital infrastructure, he said Bangladesh’s large young and working-age population and expanding mobile and internet networks have created an important foundation for a technology-driven economy. The next priority is to build domestic innovation, research capacity, skills and an effective technology ecosystem on that foundation.

Referring to Bangladesh’s participation in the World AI Conference in Shanghai, China, he said the country had emphasised capacity building through cooperation, knowledge exchange, affordable connectivity and digital public goods for an inclusive digital future. He said the initiatives of young innovators reflected that broader journey.

He said, “The innovations receiving recognition here today are a matter of great pride for us. They seek to make people’s lives easier and solve real-world problems using digital technology and artificial intelligence. These are not blind imitations of foreign technologies; they are authentic Bangladeshi solutions to our own problems.”

Addressing young innovators, the minister said the awards marked not the end of their journey but the beginning of a new chapter. Turning a prototype into a commercial product and then into an industry requires research, capital investment and appropriate policy support. The government, he assured, would stand beside young innovators in these areas.

He urged young innovators to showcase Bangladesh’s innovation capacity internationally and expressed the hope that the country’s red-and-green flag would be raised higher at international competitions and platforms, including the Asia Pacific ICT Alliance Awards.

Calling on private-sector entrepreneurs and investors, the minister said they should become early customers of young innovators, provide opportunities to implement pilot projects and come forward with necessary investment. He also stressed the need for universities to build effective links between research laboratories and industry requirements.

“We are beside you, and the government is beside you,” he told the young innovators.

State Minister for Planning Md Jonaid Abdur Rahim Saki said Bangladesh must use the innovative capacity of its young people to build a democratic, humane, welfare-oriented and inclusive country. Economic development and wealth creation are closely linked to that objective, while science, information technology, research and innovation must receive greater priority for economic advancement.

He said achieving the goal of transforming Bangladesh into a trillion-dollar economy would require more than isolated innovation events, awards or research initiatives. Effective links among innovation, research and business must be established, alongside a strong platform connecting government, business and academia.

He also called for specific programmes in research and innovation and the creation of coordinated clusters of projects to achieve targeted outcomes and maximise the use of limited resources. Greater research funding and expanded research opportunities at universities are also necessary, he said.

Science and Technology Ministry Secretary Md Anwar Hossain said although various initiatives have been taken to promote innovation, significant limitations remain in taking innovations to market through incubation and commercialization.

He said the government is working to establish an integrated innovation ecosystem and a culture that supports innovation.

Bangladesh has relatively strong research infrastructure and facilities at universities and research institutions, he said, but effective links among academia, industry and government remain inadequate. As a result, the economic and social potential of research and innovation is not being fully realised.

He said innovation requires not only infrastructure but also skilled human resources, financing, policy support and an effective innovation ecosystem.

The science secretary said the first Bangladesh Innovation Fair 2026, organised by the Ministry of Science and Technology, brought innovators, investors, financial institutions, academia and industry stakeholders together on a common platform.

Work is also underway to improve intellectual property protection, access to financing, tax support for research and development investment, and policy support for importing modern research equipment.

He said Bangladesh Bank, the Department of Patents, Designs and Trademarks under the Ministry of Industries, the National Board of Revenue and UNDP have been brought in as partners in different areas of ecosystem development.

Startup financing, including technology and green financing, is being pursued through Bangladesh Bank. Cooperation with the Department of Patents, Designs and Trademarks is also underway on intellectual property protection, while discussions with the National Board of Revenue are addressing tax support for research and development.

Anwar Hossain said Bangladesh must prioritise research, innovation and a knowledge-based economy alongside production-driven growth to build a trillion-dollar economy by 2034. STEM education and human resource development are being given particular attention.

He identified four major pillars for science, technology and innovation: STEM and human resource development, Research to Market, Innovation to Market and Frontier Technology.

The strategy focuses on connecting research with industry needs, commercialising innovations and developing capabilities in emerging areas including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, biotechnology and space research.

BTRC Chairman Major General Md Emdad Ul Bari (Retd.) said, “Connectivity alone is not enough; we need quality internet, appropriate devices and affordable prices. Our goal is to ensure that regulation supports innovation rather than becoming a barrier.”

The event was chaired by Bangladesh ICT and Innovation Network Chairman Syed Almas Kabir. BRAC University Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Arshad Mahmud Chowdhury, BIIN Executive Director Rubaba Doula Matin, university teachers, researchers, technology entrepreneurs, innovators, students, guardians, judges, public and private-sector representatives and media professionals were also present.

The Bangladesh ICT and Innovation Network organised the event. Eastern Bank PLC served as the presenting sponsor, while Cartup was the powered-by partner. The Ministry of Science and Technology participated as the strategic partner.

The Champion and Winner innovations will be nominated to represent Bangladesh at the Asia Pacific ICT Alliance Awards 2026.

The nine Champion innovations included SAKRIO Technologies Limited’s “Sakrio DMS,” Teton Private Limited’s “MyECGAI” and Grameen HealthTech Limited’s “The Sukhi Way: Connected Care Through Integrated Digital Services” in the organisation category.

In the student category, the Champions were BUET’s “AgentIAM,” University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh’s “Chronic,” Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology’s “Sync V-1: Braille Embosser,” Khulna University’s “Arbor” and Bir Sreshtho Munshi Abdur Rouf Public College’s “BrailleBridge.” “Bindo” won the individual or team category.

//DBTech/MRPS/SPM/BPC//