Prime Minister’s Public Administration Adviser Md Ismail Zabihullah on Thursday said Bangladesh must move beyond technology consumption and become a creator, owner and exporter of technology to achieve its goal of becoming a trillion-dollar economy by 2034.
Artificial intelligence (AI), software, outsourcing and technology-driven services could generate billions of dollars in revenue for the country, he said, stressing the need to build a strong technology export industry.
Zabihullah, who also heads the Governance Innovation Unit (GIU) at the Prime Minister’s Office and is a member of the BNP’s National Standing Committee, made the remarks at a dialogue titled “AI and Innovation” at the Ambassador Ferdous Shahriar Auditorium of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday.
The GIU and the foreign ministry jointly organised the event.
He said Bangladesh must prioritise export diversification, information technology development, foreign investment and the expansion of local entrepreneurs into global markets to strengthen the economy.
The ready-made garment (RMG) sector and remittances remain major pillars of Bangladesh’s economy, but excessive dependence on a few sources of foreign exchange earnings could pose long-term risks, he said, stressing the need to diversify income sources.
Bangladesh exported goods worth around $44 billion in the 2024-25 fiscal year, with the RMG sector accounting for nearly 90% of the total, Zabihullah said. Expatriate Bangladeshis sent home around $30.3 billion in remittances during the same period.
He warned that inflation in international markets, geopolitical shifts and other crises could affect the country’s economy, making it essential to develop technology and services into major sources of foreign exchange earnings.
Zabihullah said AI should not be viewed merely as a tool to speed up government operations. Instead, AI, software, outsourcing and technology-driven services could become major sources of export earnings for Bangladesh.
Citing Israel as an example, he said the country had built a strong technology industry with thousands of technology companies despite its small size. Bangladesh could follow a similar path by harnessing its large pool of young and talented people, he added.
Referring to a recent visit to Silicon Valley by a high-level Bangladeshi delegation, Zabihullah said leading global technology companies, including Apple, Meta and Nvidia, had shown interest in Bangladesh.
He also said Anthropic had responded positively to the prospect of operating in the country.
The adviser stressed the need to make the foreign ministry’s international trade and investment wing more effective. Bangladesh’s commercial wings abroad should go beyond formal duties and establish direct links with entrepreneurs, investors, technology companies and buyers, he said.
He urged local companies to develop practical AI-based solutions for public services, digital identity, agriculture, healthcare and education, adding that locally developed technologies could also be exported to international markets.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs-1 Humayun Kabir, State Minister for Foreign Affairs-2 Shama Obaed Islam, Prime Minister’s Adviser Rehan Asif Asad, senior diplomats from various countries, representatives of development partners, academics, senior officials from the Prime Minister’s Office and the ministries responsible for ICT, science and technology, and foreign affairs, technology experts, business leaders and media representatives attended the event.
