Staff Correspondent: Md. Ismail Zabihullah—the Prime Minister’s Advisor on Public Administration, Head of the Governance Innovation Unit at the Prime Minister’s Office, and a member of the BNP’s National Standing Committee—remarked that to transform Bangladesh into a trillion-dollar economy by 2034, the country must evolve from merely a user of technology into an innovator and exporter of it.
The Advisor placed special emphasis on export diversification, the development of information technology, attracting foreign investment, and the expansion of domestic entrepreneurs into the global market. He stated that, alongside ready-made garments and remittances, high-value technology and service sectors must be developed into major sources of foreign currency earnings.
He made these remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a dialogue titled ‘AI and Innovation’—organized jointly by the Governance Innovation Unit (GIU) of the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs—held on Thursday, October 8 at the ministry’s Ambassador Ferdous Shahriar Auditorium.
The Adviser on Public Administration stated that Bangladesh exported goods worth approximately US$44 billion in the 2024-25 fiscal year, with nearly 90 percent of this coming from the ready-made garment sector. During the same period, expatriate Bangladeshis sent remittances totaling around $30.3 billion. While ready-made garments and remittances are major strengths of Bangladesh’s economy, an over-reliance on a limited number of sources could pose long-term risks.
He stated that inflation in the international market, geopolitical shifts, or other crises could impact Bangladesh’s economy. Therefore, sources of foreign currency earnings must be diversified now.
Highlighting the potential of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) and technology sectors, he said, “AI should not be viewed merely as a tool to expedite government operations. AI, software, outsourcing, and technology-driven services could become major sectors generating billions of dollars in revenue for Bangladesh.” He noted that despite being a small country, Israel has established thousands of technology companies and a robust tech industry. It is possible to build a similar technology-driven industry by leveraging Bangladesh’s vast, young, and talented population.
Referring to the recent visit of a high-level Bangladeshi delegation to Silicon Valley, Md. Ismail Zabiullah stated that global tech giants such as Apple, Meta, and Nvidia have shown interest in Bangladesh. He also mentioned that Anthropic has responded positively regarding the prospect of working in the country.
Emphasizing the need to make the International Trade and Investment Wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs more effective, he stated that Bangladesh’s commercial wings abroad must not limit themselves to merely performing formal duties; instead, they must establish direct connections with new entrepreneurs, investors, technology firms, and buyers.
He stated that discussions on AI should not be limited to seminars or dialogues alone. A practical and integrated national action plan must be rapidly adopted through the collaboration of universities, the business community, and government institutions.
The event was attended by State Minister for Foreign Affairs-1 Humayun Kabir, State Minister for Foreign Affairs-2 Shama Obaid Islam, Prime Minister’s Advisor Rehan Asif Asad, high-ranking officials from various foreign embassies, representatives of development partner organizations, and academicians. Also present were senior officials from the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministries of ICT, Science and Technology, and Foreign Affairs, alongside IT experts, business leaders, and representatives from various media outlets.
