Online Desk:
Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus has emphasized the need to strengthen technological advancement in Bangladesh to keep pace with the rapidly changing world, stating that the future will be fundamentally shaped by technology.
He made the remarks while inaugurating the Digital Device and Innovation Expo 2026 as the chief guest at the Bangladesh–China Friendship Conference Center (BCFCC) in the capital on Wednesday (January 28, 2026).
“The coming world will be fundamentally different,” Prof. Yunus said. “What we cannot even imagine today will soon become reality. The world is changing very fast. If we fail to increase our speed and align ourselves with this global momentum, we must seriously consider how far behind we may fall.”
He noted that while it may appear that Bangladesh is progressing in line with other countries, in reality the nation remains behind in many areas—particularly in mindset, execution, and preparedness.
Highlighting the importance of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector, the Chief Adviser said Bangladesh has fallen behind largely because this sector has not been given due priority. Referring to ICT as a “core sector,” he added, “The future will emerge from this sector. That is why I am emphasizing ICT—it is a primary sector, and the future will be built from here.”
Prof. Yunus explained that traditional sectors will continue to exist, but technology will act as the driving force—“like air or wind”—influencing and transforming every sector of the economy.
He stressed the need to begin preparations immediately and urged policymakers to move beyond conventional thinking while formulating policies for the technology sector.
Speaking about the expo, he said discussions held at such events, the vision imagined for the future, and the institutional frameworks developed accordingly will largely determine the country’s future direction.
Addressing generational change, Prof. Yunus noted that today’s children are almost innately connected to technology. However, the growing gap between generations is creating a leadership crisis. “The older generation is unable to lead the younger one—not due to bad intentions, but because their ways of thinking are fundamentally different,” he said.
He also pointed out that outdated perspectives still persist in Bangladesh’s ICT sector. Emphasizing the need for true digital governance, he said government services must reach people at their doorsteps. “People should not have to come to the government; instead, government services should go to the people. If this can be implemented, corruption will significantly decrease,” he added.
The four-day technology exhibition is jointly organized by the ICT Division, Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority (BHTPA), and the Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS). Held under the theme “Bangladesh to the World,” the expo will continue until January 31.
Special Adviser to the Chief Adviser on Posts, Telecommunications and ICT, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, addressed the event as a special guest. The program was chaired by Shish Haider Chowdhury, Secretary of the ICT Division. Welcome speeches were delivered by Mohammad Mamunur Rashid Bhuiyan, Managing Director of the Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority, and Mohammad Zaherul Islam, President of the Bangladesh Computer Samity.
