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Prime Minister Tareque Rahman has stated that the government considers the semiconductor industry a national priority sector to build Bangladesh into a technology-driven and self-reliant nation. He emphasized that the government is working to take Bangladesh forward by overcoming all kinds of obstacles.
He made these remarks as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the two-day National Semiconductor Symposium and BEAR Summit-2026, held on Saturday (July 25) morning at the Novo Theatre in Tejgaon, Dhaka.
The Prime Minister noted that work has already begun in the country across various semiconductor sectors, including design, verification, embedded systems, power electronics, and advanced packaging. Several local companies have also entered the international market. He stated, “We consider the semiconductor sector a national priority industry. This is not the task of a single ministry or institution, but rather a collective national mission.”
He announced that the government has already taken multiple policy steps to foster the growth of this industry. In the current budget, all taxes and duties on the import of raw materials for the semiconductor industry have been withdrawn. Additionally, an initiative has been launched to provide cash incentives for export earnings from semiconductor design services.
The Prime Minister also informed that, for the first time, the government has established an annual grant fund of BDT 500 crore to encourage startup entrepreneurs.
He further added that the government is working to ensure a business-friendly environment for the semiconductor industry by developing investment-friendly policies, tax benefits, bond facilities, and specialized infrastructure.
The summit, jointly organized by the Bangladesh Semiconductor Industry Association (BSIA) and Silicon River Bangladesh, is being attended by policymakers, industry representatives, researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, and expatriate Bangladeshi technologists from both home and abroad.
The two-day event features 11 plenary sessions, seven strategic panel discussions, and a technology exhibition. International experts, including Dr. Ahmed Bahai, Chief Technology Officer of Texas Instruments, and Professor Dimitrios Peroulis of Purdue University, will deliver speeches. Representatives from GlobalFoundries, NXP, Applied Materials, SanDisk, Credo, and the Vietnam Semiconductor Alliance are also participating.
Running concurrently with the summit is the ‘BEAR Innovation Expo-2026’, where innovations by students and startup entrepreneurs in semiconductor, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, health technology, and other deep-tech sectors are being showcased across 35 stalls.