Bangladesh seeks Silicon Valley investment, technology and talent partnerships

The government has held a dialogue with technology professionals, entrepreneurs, researchers and investors from Silicon Valley.

A statement by the foreign ministry on Monday said the “Bangladesh-Silicon Valley Technology Dialogue” was held on Sunday at Stanford University in California, with discussions focusing on technology, talent, and partnerships for Bangladesh’s future.

The event was organised by the Bangladesh Consulate General in Los Angeles.

Members of the delegation accompanying Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to the UN General Assembly in New York also participated in the event.

Finance and Planning Advisor Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir said the government would assess how fiscal policy, investment planning, and public institutions could support technology-led industries and skilled employment.

“The government will evaluate how to support technology-driven industries and skilled employment through fiscal policies, investment planning, and government institutions,” he said.

He urged participants to identify potential projects, responsible business partners, and concrete steps, saying cooperation should ultimately improve public services and create opportunities for Bangladeshis.

Presentations on AI applications relevant to Bangladesh were delivered by Syed Ishtiaque Ahmed, associate professor of computer science at the University of Toronto; Sharifa Sultana, assistant professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Mohammad Kamrul Islam, an engineer at Uber; and Mostafa Patwary, a researcher at Nvidia.

Mahbub Rashed, senior technology leader at GlobalFoundries spoke about the semiconductor industry and the development of its ecosystem.

A panel titled “Talent, Technology, and Capital” was moderated by Saif Islam, chair professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of California.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam highlighted the achievements of Bangladeshi professionals in the global technology sector and stressed the importance of maintaining continuous engagement with them.

“Science and technology diplomacy is a priority within the government's foreign policy. At its core lie technology transfer, workforce development, and the establishment of connections between Bangladeshi entities and the research and innovation ecosystem of the United States,” she said.