Bangladesh must transform itself from merely a user of technology into an innovator and exporter of technology to become a trillion-dollar economy by 2034, said Md. Ismail Jabiullah, Public Administration Adviser to the Prime Minister, Head of the Governance Innovation Unit at the Prime Minister’s Office and a member of the BNP National Standing Committee.

The adviser placed particular emphasis on export diversification, the development of information technology, attracting foreign investment and expanding local entrepreneurs into global markets. He said high-value technology and service sectors, alongside ready-made garments and remittances, must be developed as major sources of foreign exchange earnings.

He made the remarks as the chief guest at a dialogue titled “AI and Innovation,” jointly organized by the Governance Innovation Unit (GIU) of the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the Ambassador Ferdous Shahriar Auditorium of the Foreign Ministry on Thursday (October 8).

The Public Administration Adviser said Bangladesh exported goods worth around $44 billion in the 2024–25 fiscal year, with nearly 90 percent coming from the ready-made garment sector. During the same period, expatriate Bangladeshis sent around $30.3 billion in remittances.

He said although RMG exports and remittances are major strengths of Bangladesh’s economy, excessive dependence on a limited number of sources could create long-term risks. Inflation in international markets, geopolitical changes or other crises could affect Bangladesh’s economy, he noted. Therefore, the country must diversify its sources of foreign exchange earnings now.

Highlighting the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and the technology sector, Jabiullah said, “AI should not be viewed merely as a technology for speeding up government work. AI, software, outsourcing and technology-based services can become major sectors generating billions of dollars in earnings for Bangladesh.”

He said Israel, despite being a small country, has built thousands of technology companies and a strong technology industry. Bangladesh can similarly develop a technology-driven industry by leveraging its large pool of young and talented people, he added.

Referring to a recent visit by a high-level Bangladeshi delegation to Silicon Valley, Jabiullah said leading global technology companies such as Apple, Meta and Nvidia have shown interest in Bangladesh. He also said Anthropic has responded positively to the possibility of working in Bangladesh.

Emphasizing the need to make the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ International Trade and Investment Wing more effective, he said Bangladesh’s commercial wings abroad should not remain confined to performing formal duties. They must establish direct connections with new entrepreneurs, investors, technology companies and buyers, he added.

The Public Administration Adviser said, “Our goal is not only to be consumers of technology; we must be creators, owners and exporters of technology.”

Urging local companies to develop effective AI-based solutions for government services, digital identity, agriculture, healthcare and education, he said technologies developed in Bangladesh could also be exported to international markets.

He also stressed the need to develop domestic hardware manufacturing capacity by utilizing Bangladesh’s large market. He said the country should reduce its dependence on imported technology products, including computers and laptops, and increase domestic production.

He said discussions on AI should not remain limited to seminars or dialogues. A practical and coordinated national action plan must be adopted quickly through collaboration among universities, the business community and government institutions.

Foreign Ministry State Minister-1 Humayun Kabir, State Minister-2 Shama Obaed Islam, Prime Minister’s Adviser Rehan Asif Asad, senior officials from various diplomatic missions, representatives of development partners, academics, senior officials from the Prime Minister’s Office, ICT, Science and Technology and Foreign Affairs ministries, IT experts, business leaders and media representatives attended the event.