MCCI, Silicon Valley seminar on hi-tech opportunities in Bangladesh

Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dhaka (MCCI) jointly with the veterans of the Semiconductor Industry from Silicon Valley, California, USA organised a seminar on 'Hi Tech Opportunities in Bangladesh' on Thursday (1 December).

MCCI has been working to develop an ecosystem for setting up the semiconductor industry in Bangladesh. The country being one of the fastest growing economies in the world with rapid business expansion and development, it is now essential to critically consider diversifying the manufacturing base with high-tech, high-value-added production capturing future potentials of global businesses, said a press release.

The primary objectives of the seminar were: i) know and further explore existing and potential knowledge sources on semiconductor industry, ii) learn how to overcome the challenges for developing an ecosystem, iii) gain knowledge of the best practices of other countries and how effectively those practices can be adopted in Bangladesh, and iv) how best the Bangladeshi diaspora can be effectively involved in the journey.

Dr Mashiur Rahman, economic affairs adviser to the Prime Minister, attended as the chief guest and NM Zeaul Alam PAA, senior secretary, Information and Communication Technology Division was present as the Special Guest. Habibullah N Karim, vice-president, MCCI acted as moderator and Farooq Ahmed, secretary general & CEO, MCCI was facilitator.

Panel discussants from MCCI were:  Md Saiful Islam, president, MCCI, Dr Arif Dowla, convener, Committee on Semiconductor, MCCI,  Mohammed E Rahman, CEO & president, ULKASEMI,  MA Jabbar, managing director, DBL Group, Dr M Rokonuzzaman, professor, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, North South University.

Panel discussants from Silicon Valley were: Dr Yusuf Haque, chief technology officer and co-founder, Exo Imaging, CEO, SliceX Inc, managing director, Maxim Integrated Products; Dr. Khandker Nazrul Quader, chief technical officer and EVP, Sunrise Memory, president & CEO , SK Hynix Memory Solutions, senior vice president, Memory R&D; Global Memory Organization, SanDisk Corp;  Mustafiz Choudhury, chief technical officer, MIPS & Wave Computing, partner at multiple Venture Capital Funds, Founder & VP Engineering, Silicon Spice, founder & COO InSilica Inc., Co-led Development of 2 generations of Intel's flagship processors; Dr Syed Hossainy, director Applied Bioengg at University of California, Berkeley Corporate Science Officer/Distinguished Science & Technology Fellow at Start Up & Public Co, director and Sr Research Fellow Abbott; Dr Khalid Azim, vice president, ASIC Engineering, Sigma Sense, director of Design Engineering, Unipixel, senior director touch controller, Elo Touch Solutions; Dr Sayeef Salahuddin, TSMC distinguished professor of Electrical Engr & Computer Science, University of California, Berkeley co director of Berkeley Device Modeling Center, chair of IEEE Electron Device Society, 2014-2016.

In his opening remarks, MCCI President Md Saiful Islam thanked the distinguished guests who attended the event either physically or virtually. He emphasized the importance of hi-tech front where Bangladesh is still in infancy. With LDC-graduation and loss of preferential tariffs in its export markets imminent, Bangladesh would do well to move away from its overdependence on readymade garments (RMG) in the export basket. Exploring the semiconductor industry could be the start of the diversification of products that Bangladesh needs. He hoped that this seminar can be the start of the knowledge and guidance sharing that is required for success.

The chief guest Dr Mashiur Rahman mentioned that the present government has always been a business-friendly government and will continue to do so. Semiconductors and high-tech already are and will remain highly demanded items in the foreseeable future. He thanked MCCI for organizing today's important and timely event and assured that the government will always support any such initiative to come to fruition.

The special guest NM Zeaul Alam PAA, senior secretary, Information and Communication Technology Division thanked MCCI for organising such an informative discussion and assured necessary policy support in this regard.   

The discussion was a thought-provoking and every panelist believes that it will open new windows of opportunity for Bangladesh.

Finally, Anis A Khan, director, MCCI delivered the vote of thanks. He also thanked all the discussants and participants for making the interactions fruitful.