Bangladesh AI Summit, organized by Bangladesh Brand Forum, powered by Akij Resource and Mutual Trust Bank PLC, and held in collaboration with BRAC Business School, took place on May 8, 2025, at BRAC University. As a flagship initiative of the Bangladesh Innovation Conclave, this summit marked a significant milestone in the country’s digital transformation journey. With Bangladesh aspiring to become a digitally advanced economy, the endeavour aimed to explore the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in driving progress across business, governance, and society.
The initiative brought together leading voices from both global and local arenas, including industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators. It served as a platform for sharing insights, highlighting groundbreaking AI applications, encouraging cross-sector collaboration, and fostering a strong pipeline of AI talent in Bangladesh. The summit aims to support the formulation and implementation of a comprehensive national AI strategy through increased awareness of AI’s potential, stronger collaboration among public, private, and academic sectors, the development of a larger pool of AI-trained professionals, and the generation of strategic policy guidance.
The summit commenced with a welcome address by Mohammad Mujibul Haque, PhD, Professor and Dean, BRAC Business School, BRAC University, followed by the opening address from Shariful Islam, Founder and Managing Director of Bangladesh Brand Forum and Bangladesh Innovation Conclave. Shariful Islam, stated, “Artificial Intelligence is shaping our industries, redefining how we learn, revolutionising governance, and transforming societies. From agriculture to healthcare, education to manufacturing, AI is creating pathways to solve problems that once seemed impossible. But with this transformative power comes a duty—to use it wisely, inclusively, and ethically. Today, we come together not only to discuss AI’s potential but to actively shape the future. Alongside this summit, we are also celebrating the AI Hackathon, where brilliant minds are already innovating and building solutions that will drive our country forward.”
Shish Haider Chowdhury, ndc, MCIPS (CS), Secretary, ICT Division, Ministry of Posts, Telecommunication and Information Technology, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, inaugurated the summit as the opening chief guest. In his speech, he said, “Artificial Intelligence is not merely a technology—it is a transformational force. As we stand at the crossroads of a global digital shift, we must ask ourselves: How do we, as a nation, harness this force for good? How do we use AI not just to compete, but to uplift? Not just to automate, but to empower? Today’s summit demonstrates that Bangladesh is not waiting for the world. We are here to lead—by fostering collaboration between government, industry, academia, and startups; by nurturing talent; and by setting ethical and forward-thinking policy frameworks.”
The closing chief guest was Major General Md Emdad ul Bari, OSP, NDC, PSC, TE (RETD), Chairman, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), who, in his speech, mentioned, “This platform has brought together some of the brightest minds in AI, both from Bangladesh and around the world. The conversations we’ve had today are vital—as they help us understand the opportunities and risks that AI presents, and more importantly, the responsibility that comes with it. The Bangladesh AI Summit has underscored a truth we must all embrace: AI is not the future—it is the present. And how we shape our policies, prepare our talent, and invest in infrastructure today will define whether AI becomes a force for inclusion or division, for progress or stagnation.”
The summit featured a dynamic agenda comprising 4 keynote sessions, 2 panel discussions, 5 insight sessions, 2 case studies, and 1 fireside chat. Alongside, the summit hosted 5 policy level breakout sessions with industry experts to deepen discussions on AI integration in pivotal areas – manufacturing, education, agriculture, fintech, and healthcare.
The keynote sessions delved into AI’s transformative role in shaping Bangladesh’s future, highlighting both global shifts and local opportunities. Speakers examined how emerging economies can navigate the evolving AI landscape, the importance of building trust through human-AI collaboration, and the power of inclusive innovation to drive impact in key areas such as agriculture, education, and social development.
These critical discussions were led by Md Yousup Faruqu, Managing Director, Microsoft (Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan); Professor Khondaker A. Mamun, PhD, Founder & Director, AIMS Lab, UIU; Founder & Director, Institute of Research, Innovation, Incubation, and Commercialization (IRIIC), UIU; Professor, Department of CSE, UIU; Founder, CMED Health Ltd.; Kamal Kanth, Vice President of Sales, Salesforce India; and Mehnaz Tabassum, Chief Executive Officer, CogniCo AI Consulting & NL Eats Community Outreach Inc.; & Saif Ahmed Co-Founder, Chief Data & AI Officer, CogniCo AI Consulting & NL Eats Community Outreach Inc.
Panel discussions explored how AI can support national development through ethical policy-making and enhance access to financial services. Insight sessions highlighted the contrast between hype and reality in the local AI landscape, showcased how AI is revolutionising agriculture through AgriTech solutions, highlighted the importance of making AI accessible for broader community impact, examined how businesses are rethinking processes and models using AI, and discussed how ethically designed AI systems can contribute to a more just and inclusive world. The case studies examined how AI can revolutionize education in Bangladesh by enabling more personalized and accessible learning, as well as the ethical challenges posed by AI, particularly around privacy and power dynamics.
Finally, Professor Dr. Syed Ferhat Anwar, Vice-Chancellor, BRAC Univesity presented the closing session addressing the importance of Democratizing AI for Societal Development and the Future of Bangladesh.
The summit welcomed a range of distinguished speakers including Mahtab Uddin Ahmed, Leadership Consultant, Telecom Expert, President, Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh (ICMAB); Founder & Managing Partner, BuildCon Consultancies Ltd.; Fahim Mashroor, Managing Director & Board Member, Bdjobs.com; Rahat Ahmed, Founder & Managing Partner, Anchorless Bangladesh; Yasir Azman, Chief Executive Officer, Grameenphone Ltd.; Vice President, Foreign Investors’ Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FICCI); Mahmud Hossain, Commissioner, Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC); Muhammad Abdul Matin Emon, CEO, Praava Health; Mohammad Oli Ahad, Founder and CEO, Enterprise Tech Limited; Luciano Floridi, Director of the Digital Ethics Center, Yale University; M Manjur Mahmud, President, DataSoft Systems Bangladesh Limited; Osman Ershad Faiz, Additional Managing Director & COO, Eastern Bank PLC; Sabbir Ahmed, Country Manager (Bangladesh, Nepal & Bhutan), Visa; Khalid Hossain, Chief Digital Officer, Mutual Trust Bank PLC; Shams Zaman, Country Managing Partner, PwC; Krish Banerjee, Managing Director (Partner) & Canada Lead – Data & AI , Accenture, USA; Sadique Syed, VP and Global Head of Data, Wealth and Asset Management, Manulife Financial, USA; Shahir Chowdhury, Founder and CEO, Shikho; Frederick Scholl, Director of the Cyber Security Program, Quinnipiac University and others.
The summit, which included the AI Hackathon Award Ceremony, marked the successful conclusion of the AI Hackathon, another groundbreaking initiative of the Bangladesh Innovation Conclave. The awards were presented to 6 AI based solutions featuring six critical sectors: city management, manufacturing, education, agriculture, fintech, and healthcare. Each winning team received a prize money of 1 Lakh BDT for their excellent and thoughtful solution to the problems.
Machine Mindset from the University of Rajshahi won the Hackathon in the manufacturing sector. QRARG from Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST), Runtime Terrors from Institute of Information Technology, CODE FARMERS from BRAC University, Team_Gliders from Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), Buraq from Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology(RUET) won the prize in healthcare, fintech, agriculture, city problem, and education sectors, respectively.
The AI Hackathon was launched on March 10, 2025, with the goal of developing AI-driven solutions for urban and sector-specific challenges in Bangladesh. The competition, which attracted 177 team submissions from 70 organisations, shortlisted 31 teams on April 16, 2025. The selected teams worked on their prototypes from April 17 to May 5, leading into a two-day boot camp and final showcase event on May 6–7 at BRAC University. Throughout the boot camp, participants received mentoring from industry experts and ultimately pitched their solutions. After a rigorous evaluation by a distinguished jury panel, the winning teams were selected and announced during the award ceremony.
The Bangladesh AI Summit and the AI Hackathon are powered by Akij Resource & Mutual Trust Bank PLC and in collaboration with BRAC Business School. Strategic Partner – Creative IT Institute; REVE Chat; International Distribution Company Bangladesh PLC.; Marketing Society of Bangladesh (MSB); NAMMCON; International Advertising Association Bangladesh; Official Carrier Partner – Turkish Airlines; Refreshment Partner – Pran; PR Partner – Backpage PR. Organised by Bangladesh Brand Forum, Bangladesh AI Summit and the AI Hackathon are initiatives of Bangladesh Innovation Conclave.
