Is 'Digital Bangladesh' dream alive?

"Digital Bangladesh" once inspired a generation with the promise of a smart, tech-powered nation. But in 2025-after a major political transition, a banned ruling party, and rising global automation-we must ask: has that dream stalled, or can it still be revived?

Artificial intelligence is rewriting the global job market. Tasks such as data entry, report generation, or even basic programming are now performed by AI in seconds. Yet our education system continues to produce graduates trained for yesterday's world. Each year, over two million young people enter Bangladesh's job market-many armed with outdated skills-only to face frustration and underemployment.

We cannot build a digital nation while neglecting its foundations: modern education, innovation support, and future-proof job training. Schools and universities must urgently incorporate AI awareness, tech ethics, critical thinking, and human creativity as core learning objectives. At the same time, our industries must prioritise re-skilling, not just automation.

This is not merely a tech issue-it is a national survival issue. Bangladesh is undergoing a historic reset. If ever there was a right moment to reform, it is now.

Let us not allow "Digital Bangladesh" to become a forgotten buzzword. Let us rebuild it-stronger, smarter, and truly inclusive.

Hafsha Islam Alif

Student

North South University, Dhaka

hafsha.alif@northsouth.edu