A high-level taskforce will work with Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida) to formulate a roadmap for the development of a semiconductor sector, focusing on testing, assembly and scaling up capabilities.

The decision was taken at a meeting titled "Semiconductors – A New Frontier for the Bangladesh Economy and Employment" among stakeholders organised by Bida at its headquarters in the capital today, said a press release.

"We are forming a taskforce with representatives from industry, academia, the diaspora, and government to identify barriers and recommend actionable solutions," said M Siraz Uddin Miah, principal secretary to the chief adviser, while presiding over the meeting.

"I urge stakeholders to leverage Bida as a one-stop platform to align government policies and priorities," he said.

Mashuque Rahman, founder of Green Quest, delivered the keynote presentation, highlighting priority areas within the semiconductor value chain and recommendations for growth.

"Bangladesh currently generates approximately $6 million annually from semiconductor activities, primarily through integrated circuit design services," said Ashik Chowdhury, executive chairman of Bida and Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority.

However, the downstream stages of packaging, assembly, and testing offer immediate opportunities for expansion, he said.

"Based on today's discussions, our next steps will focus on policy development, promotion, and capacity building," he added.

"Besides updating our university curricula, we have to enhance our style of teaching and make sure our students are taking the knowledge home," said Mohammed Enayetur Rahman, founder and CEO of ULKASEMI, a Silicon Valley-based semiconductor design services company.

"We are willing to engage further with university students to help them understand the job description," he said.

The speakers provided a list of recommendations, including ensuring intellectual property protections, introducing semiconductor-focused courses in select universities, introducing shared training facilities and engaging non-resident Bangladeshis for global promotion.

Shish Haider Chowdhury, secretary to the ICT division, and Maj Gen Md Nasim Parvez, commandant of the Military Institute of Science and Technology, along with representatives from PrimeSilicon Technology, Tahoe Communications, Neural Semiconductors Limited, Haison International Limited, Integrated Development Foundation, BRAC University, and Southeast University were also present.