AI requires local capability and accountability

The success of digital transformation should not be measured by the number of towers installed or kilometres of fibre-optic cable laid, but by how easily, securely and affordably citizens and businesses can access digital services in their daily lives. This view was expressed by Posts and Telecommunications Division Secretary Dr Muhammad Kamruzzaman at the opening session of Bangladesh TechConnect 2026 in Dhaka on Tuesday, October 27. Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam attended the event as the chief guest.

In his welcome address, Kamruzzaman said Bangladesh remained about 10 points behind the global average on several digital-transformation indicators. Extending internet signals alone would not be enough, he said. People also need affordable devices, usable data packages and digital services in Bangla. The real value of connectivity, he added, depends on whether students can attend online classes without disruption, patients can obtain referrals and rural entrepreneurs can complete transactions without repeated difficulties.

Given Bangladesh's exposure to natural disasters such as cyclones and floods, he called for disaster-resilient routers, uninterrupted backup power and trained emergency teams capable of restoring networks quickly. He also urged a measured approach to implementing standalone fifth-generation mobile networks, or 5G, and future sixth-generation, or 6G, technology. Adoption should be orderly and based on reasonable costs and actual demand, he said.

Opening three seminars on Bangladesh's connectivity systems, digital transformation and the future of artificial intelligence, Kamruzzaman said AI was bringing major changes to the global economy. Bangladesh could not remain merely a consumer of AI; it needed to develop its own capabilities and put the technology to effective use.

He stressed that final accountability for decisions made through AI-enabled public services must remain with humans. Without effective cybersecurity and data-protection measures, he said, public trust would be difficult to secure.

The secretary said digital transformation could not be achieved by the government alone. The government's responsibility was to establish predictable policies, transparent approval processes and a supportive environment. Industry, meanwhile, needed to deliver quality services through innovation and investment. He assured participants that the Posts and Telecommunications Division would carefully review recommendations emerging from the conference.

Kamruzzaman said Bangladesh TechConnect had developed into a national platform. With participation from government, industry, educational institutions, development partners and the media, the event offered an opportunity to strengthen cooperation between policymakers and industry.

“Digital infrastructure is no longer a luxury; it is one of the principal foundations for building a prosperous, investment-driven and knowledge-based economy,” he said.

Digital infrastructure and technology roadmap

Saida Afroza, joint secretary of the Posts and Telecommunications Division, presented the keynote paper. The session was chaired by Wu Ji Jason, president of Huawei South Asia and chief executive officer of Huawei Bangladesh.

The daylong conference was organised by the Posts and Telecommunications Division in partnership with China-based global technology company Huawei. Alongside the presentation of the “Bangladesh Digital Infrastructure and Technology Roadmap”, the programme featured three separate panel discussions on next-generation connectivity, strengthening industrial capabilities and Bangladesh's preparedness for AI in the global context.

Policymakers, regulators, telecommunications operators, researchers and senior industry representatives took part in the discussions. A central message was that progress in digital transformation cannot be confined to expanding infrastructure. Affordable and secure services for citizens, resilient connectivity during disasters, accountability in AI use, and effective partnerships between government and industry are equally important.

//DBTech/IH/SME/MIST//