Published : 12 Sep 2026, 08:53 PM
Updated : 16 Sep 2026, 11:49 AM
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has called for homegrown innovations to move beyond the laboratory and into commercial production, with stronger links to investors and the market.
Speaking at the opening of the three-day “Bangladesh Innovation Fair 2026” in Dhaka on Saturday, Tarique said the government would take every possible step to help achieve that goal.
“We need your cooperation, we need your help. The country needs you — innovators, innovative institutions and investors — to come forward,” he said.
The fair, being held at the Novo Theatre in Bijoy Sarani, is themed “Innovate to Market”.
Organised by the Ministry of Science and Technology, it aims to build stronger partnerships between local innovators and policymakers, entrepreneurs, investors, educational institutions, financial institutions and development partners.
More than 1,000 new and promising innovations are being showcased across sectors including technology, business, education, health, agriculture and the environment.
Participants include public and private research organisations, 73 universities, independent researchers, students, start-ups, small and medium enterprises and international investors.
Organisers say the broader goal is to help build a stronger national innovation ecosystem.
The National Board of Revenue, the Department of Patents, Designs and Trademarks and the Foreign Chamber of Commerce and Industries are among the fair’s strategic partners, while the United Nations Development Programme is its technical partner.
Science and Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam also spoke at the opening ceremony.
A special seminar on health innovation will be held on Sunday, the second day of the fair, focusing on expanding access to affordable and inclusive healthcare.
Zubaida Rahman, the prime minister’s wife, is scheduled to attend as chief guest.
