Bangladesh Urged to Build National AI Ecosystem Centered on People and Skills

Bangladesh must prioritize developing human capability, strengthening institutions, and implementing coordinated national policies to thrive in the artificial intelligence era, speakers urged at a roundtable discussion. The event, jointly organized by Grameenphone and The Daily Star, focused on "Future-Ready Bangladesh: AI, Skills & Youth Employability in the Digital Economy."

Keynote speaker Zulkarin Jahangir, an MIT research affiliate, highlighted that 78 percent of global organizations already use AI, with many automating entire workstreams. He stressed that Bangladesh's challenge is not whether to adopt AI, but whether it can build capability faster than competitors. He noted that while digital readiness is important, it's insufficient for competitiveness in the AI age.

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The question is not whether Bangladesh will adopt AI, but whether Bangladesh can build capability faster than others.

Jahangir advised that Bangladesh's greatest investment should be in its people. He called for universities to reform curricula, emphasizing critical thinking, reasoning, creativity, and ethical judgment. He also advocated for AI governance frameworks, disclosure requirements for AI-assisted academic work, and faculty training in AI literacy. "AI should accelerate learning -- it should never replace learning," he stated.

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Bangladesh now needs to transform digital access into AI capability.

To avoid becoming merely a consumer of imported technologies, Bangladesh should invest in its own AI ecosystem. This includes developing Bangla datasets, fostering AI-enabled freelancing, and supporting model evaluation, data annotation, and applied AI research. Jahangir proposed a National AI Skills Compact to unite government, universities, industry, and development partners.

Mahdi Amin, an advisor to the prime minister, confirmed the government's preparation of a national AI policy aimed at improving public service delivery and governance. He emphasized that AI can enhance transparency and accountability, aligning with national goals.

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AI should accelerate learning -- it should never replace learning.