Scientists advocate dedicated AI research hubs, semiconductor fabs, and uninterrupted clean baseload power

Emphasizing that modern computational advancements, artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductor fabrication, and robotics rely strictly on zero-interruption clean energy, leading scientists and academics convened at a national roundtable titled 'Rooppur and the Fourth Industrial Revolution'. The strategic dialogue was organized by 'StarTech Tribune', the science communication wing of the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), on Sunday, 8 November 2026.

Science and Technology Ministry Secretary Md. Anwar Hossain attended the conference as chief guest, while BCSIR Chairman Dr. Samina Ahmed presided over the technical proceedings. The expert panel concluded that the consistent baseload electricity from the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) represents the baseline infrastructural requirement to sustain high-density data centers, automation plants, and cutting-edge research facilities across Bangladesh.

Addressing the assembly, Science Secretary Md. Anwar Hossain urged researchers to break conventional silos. "Massive horizons are emerging across AI, biotechnology, and personalized medicine, particularly utilizing artificial intelligence to accelerate cancer drug discovery. We must establish state-of-the-art domestic AI research hubs," he said. Emphasizing human capital development, he stated that nearly 100,000 science graduates complete tertiary degrees annually in Bangladesh; curricular frameworks must be updated immediately to absorb this youth demographic into specialized nuclear science, advanced robotics, and applied computing.

Chief Scientific Officer of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) Dr. Mohammad Nazrul Islam Khan detailed the transformative applications of nanomaterials across precision agriculture, medical therapeutics, and industrial production.

Expanding on microelectronics, Professor Dr. Muhammad Mustafa Hussain of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University, USA, highlighted the geopolitical and economic centrality of the semiconductor supply chain. He urged Bangladesh to formulate long-term roadmaps for indigenous chip design architectures and explore localized fabrication (Fab) setups backed by specialized engineering talent.

Professor Dr. Risala Tasin Khan, Director of the Institute of Information Technology (IIT) at Jahangirnagar University, pointed out that deep neural network training requires an uninterrupted power grid. "High-performance computational infrastructure and sensitive laboratory hardware cannot risk micro-outages without damaging costly datasets and processing hardware," he remarked.

Associate Professor Dr. Shamim Ahmad Deowan from the Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Dhaka demonstrated how autonomous systems are mitigating hazards in complex manufacturing, clinical surgery, and extreme disaster operations. Dr. Md. Iqbal Hossain, Assistant Professor of Nuclear Engineering at Dhaka University, articulated the convergent dependency linking robotics, AI hubs, nanotechnology, and semiconductor engineering.

Contextualizing the power dynamic, RNPP Head of Human Resources Alimuzzaman highlighted that next-generation deep-tech infrastructure, industrial robot manufacturing, and massive cloud server farms demand colossal, round-the-clock power that only nuclear generation can dependably guarantee. Prominent science writer and organizer Shahjahan Mridha Benu underscored that technology adoption must be complemented by fostering an indigenous culture of logical rationalism and native innovation rather than consuming external technological products passively.

In her presidential remarks, BCSIR Chairman Dr. Samina Ahmed affirmed, "Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant will serve as a generational catalyst for national industrial capability. By ensuring steady, long-term baseload stability, it creates an enabling environment for advanced research, empowering Bangladesh to claim a competitive presence in the emerging global 4IR landscape."

//DBTech/BSRPO/SMP/MVNO//