Ctg symposium stresses project management as key to country's growth goals
As Bangladesh forges ahead with megaprojects, rapid industrialisation, and a thriving private sector, experts warn that the country's future economic trajectory will increasingly depend on how effectively it manages complex development projects.
This was the central message at the Project Management Symposium 2025, held today (30 August) in Chattogram and organised by the Bangladesh Chapter of the Project Management Institute (PMI). The daylong event, hosted at the Radisson Blu Bay View Hotel, brought together over 150 professionals under the theme "Future-proof Project Management for Tomorrow."
Chattogram Development Authority Chairman Engr Md Nurul Karim inaugurated the symposium, stressing that strategic project management is no longer a support function but a driver of sustainable growth. "Bangladesh's development aspirations demand discipline in planning, execution, and accountability."
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In his welcome address, PMI Bangladesh Chapter President ATM Iqbal Chowdhury outlined the chapter's role in advancing sustainable development through a stronger project management culture. He pointed to PMI's global framework for maximising project success and introduced three priorities for Bangladesh— greater collaboration with academia and corporates, enhanced services for professionals, and a push for innovation and excellence through cooperation.
Keynote speaker Ahmed Jibran, CEO of AZ Consulting, spoke about leadership amid uncertainty, emphasising the skills needed to guide teams through disruption.
Tech Novelty Ltd's Chief Technology Officer Arifur Rahman focused on the value of resilient project management offices to ensure strategic alignment and long-term impact.
Rancon Holdings Director Mashid Rahman urged companies to treat stakeholders as partners rather than external forces.
Panacea Consulting Group Managing Director Azim Mohammad explained how combining lean principles with agile practices can accelerate performance. Meanwhile, Web Fontaine Bangladesh's Dipesh Bonik highlighted the revolutionary role of generative AI and prompt engineering in reshaping the discipline.
One of the highlights of the symposium was a high-level panel discussion moderated by PMI Bangladesh Director KM Refatul Ehsan. It brought together BSRM's General Manager and Head of Strategic Projects Sanjay Mukundvai Thakkar, Rancon FC CEO Tanvir Shahriar Rimon, and P2P and Wicon Director Mahadi Iftekhar. The panelists stressed that Bangladesh will struggle to meet its development goals unless technology adoption, leadership transformation, and policy support move in step with one another.
