A roundtable discussion bringing together university professors, and technology industry professionals was held on 3 June 2026 in Dhaka, calling for urgent action on how Bangladesh prepares its young professionals and university students, for a world increasingly shaped by Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The event, titled “Cultivating Ethical, AI-Proficient Workforce: Academia-Industry Dialogue,” was organized by The AI Collective Bangladesh Chapter and held at American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB) as part of the Humans in AI Week initiative by The AI Collective, accordint to a statement.
The session was moderated by Dr. Muhammad Firoz Mridha, Professor and Head (Undergraduate), CSE, AIUB. He emphasized the importance of building strong fundamentals alongside practical AI exposure, encouraging students to use AI as a learning enabler rather than a substitute for understanding. He also highlighted the need to foster research culture, critical thinking, and responsible AI usage among future graduates.
Mohammed Asif, Chapter Lead of The AI Collective Bangladesh, noted that despite the rapid advancement of AI, access remains highly uneven. Only a small fraction of the global population currently benefits from advanced AI tools, while a large majority have yet to meaningfully engage with AI technologies.
He briefed about Humans in AI Week program and highlighted rational and purpose of this program globally as well as Bangladesh contest.
Major General Ibne Fazal Shayekhuzzaman (Retd.), former Engineer-in-Chief of the Bangladesh Army, highlighted an important perspective on AI and digital security.
He reminded the audience that no technology is truly free. When people use free AI tools, their data and behaviour are being collected and studied. In other words, the users themselves become the product.
He also noted that rapid technological changes tend to follow a historical pattern of boom, disruption, and eventual recovery and warned that AI could follow a similar cycle. He insisted on a strict AI policy framework to govern AI usage and Data protection.
Prof. Dr. Dip Nandi, Dean, Faculty of Science and Technology at AIUB, mentioned that universities are actively working to restructure their curriculum to integrate AI into education.
But he strongly cautioned against making students too dependent on AI tools. Students must still develop their own thinking, problem-solving skills, and ability to work with data. He also called on industry leaders to provide regular feedback and guidelines to universities so that they can prepare the students with industry-ready skills.
Mr. Mahfuz Quaisar Apu, Operational Director at Huawei Technologies, encouraged students to develop expertise in specific AI domains rather than attempting to learn everything simultaneously.
He suggested that AI skill-building should start as early as after high school. Students should not wait until university graduation to develop professional abilities. He emphasized importance of establishing a government-supported AI-integrated learning ecosystem.
Dr. Tabin Hasan, Head of the Graduate Program at AIUB, emphasized the importance of making AI more human-centered. He illustrated the point with a simple yet powerful example: while a horse instinctively tries to protect itself from danger, a self-driving car is programmed to protect human lives.
This distinction between natural instinct and machine programming highlights why AI systems must be designed with people at the center. He noted public trust in AI will grow when people can access it easily, use it confidently, and experience its real benefits in everyday life.
Mohammad Oli Ahad, Director and COO of ACI AI Business, ACI PLC, noted that despite the remarkable progress of AI, machines still have limitations in performing tasks that humans do naturally, such as gripping an object with the sensitivity and adaptability of a human hand.
This shows that AI still has a long way to go, and its advancement must remain aligned with human adaptability. He urged educators not to ban children from using AI, but to teach them how to use it properly, responsibly, and ethically.
He suggested teachers should engage more closely with industries to better understand the evolving needs of the modern workplace.
Dr. Md. Saef Ullah Miah of AIUB emphasized that many students still do not fully understand how to use AI effectively and responsibly. He noted that one of the most important skills in the AI era is learning how to ask the right questions and critically evaluate AI-generated responses.
He also advocated for the introduction of AI-integrated assessment systems that focus on testing students’ problem-solving and analytical abilities rather than rote learning.
Furthermore, he highlighted the importance of institutionalizing AI usage through appropriate governance frameworks and data protection measures to ensure its responsible and secure adoption.
In the final note Kh. Ehsanur Rahman, Vice President, Data Science & AI, Prime NOW, emphasized that AI should be understood not merely as a technological tool, but as a human-centric enabler of progress.
He noted that AI must be developed and used in a manner that enhances human capability, protects public trust, and serves society. He further observed that the future should not be framed as AI versus humans, but rather as a responsible collaboration between humans and AI for inclusive and sustainable development.
The roundtable concluded with a shared consensus: Bangladesh has both the talent and the opportunity to build an AI-ready workforce. However, realizing this potential will require timely action, ethical leadership, effective governance, and close collaboration among government, academia, industry, and civil society.
About the AI Collective Bangladesh Chapter (www.aicollective.com/chapters/bng)
The AI Collective Bangladesh Chapter is a local extension of a global network dedicated to promoting the ethical and responsible development of artificial intelligence in line with the mission of AI Collective to empower the AI ecosystem to collaboratively steer AI's future toward trust, openness, and human flourishing.
The chapter will serve as a platform for innovators, IT Pro’s, tech-founders, researchers, human-right activists and other related professionals to collaborate, share knowledge, advocate for a human-centric approach to AI, ensuring that its progress responsively benefits all for a resilient future of mankind.