Unesco AI report flags gaps in connectivity, skills and data protection in Bangladesh

Bangladesh must strengthen digital inclusion, data governance, and human-centred innovation to prepare for an AI-driven future, according to the country's first Artificial Intelligence Readiness Assessment (RAM) Report, launched in Dhaka today (20 November).

The study, jointly conducted by Unesco, the ICT Division, a2i, and UNDP, provides the most comprehensive analysis yet of Bangladesh's institutional, legal, social, and technical preparedness for adopting AI safely and responsibly.

The report notes that while Bangladesh has made significant strides in e-government services and enjoys unusually high levels of public trust in digital platforms, structural barriers remain. These include uneven rural connectivity, chronic power disruptions, limited access to high-end computing, gaps in data protection and cybersecurity, and persistent gender and urban–rural digital divides. 

The report also points to limited AI curricula, a shortage of AI skills outside major cities, and a nascent AI start-up ecosystem.

Speaking at the launch, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, special assistant to the chief adviser, said the findings come at a "pivotal moment" as Bangladesh moves into an AI-driven era.

"This report gives us a clear picture of where we stand and what we must prioritise so that AI strengthens public institutions, not replaces human judgment, and protects citizens instead of exploiting them," he said.

ICT Division Secretary Shish Haider Chowdhury described the assessment as evidence-based guidance for finalising the National AI Policy, emphasising the need for accountable, explainable, and values-aligned AI in public services.

Unesco Representative to Bangladesh Dr Susan Vize called the RAM assessment both a "mirror and a roadmap," highlighting progress in e-government and research while identifying gaps in digital inclusion, data ecosystems, and governance mechanisms. 

She stressed the need to develop high-quality datasets in Bangla and minority languages, strengthen data protection and cybersecurity, and ensure full participation of women and girls in AI education and careers. 

UNDP Resident Representative Stefan Liller warned that the coming decade will determine whether AI narrows or widens inequality, highlighting the importance of connectivity, skills, data infrastructure, and trustworthy regulations.

The report also examines social and cultural barriers, noting that women and rural citizens remain significantly less connected than men and urban residents, and that no dedicated policies exist to address these disparities. It calls for expanding language resources, building on initiatives such as the Enhancement of Bangla Language in ICT through Research & Development (EBLICT), while noting limitations in the quality and diversity of datasets.

On the education front, the integration of AI into classrooms is still in its early stages. While most secondary schools have computers, only half have internet access, and structured AI and AI-ethics curricula are largely absent. 

The report recognises growth in AI research, with nearly 2,000 academic publications in 2021, but notes weak funding, infrastructure, and industry linkages.

Economically, Bangladesh has emerging AI start-ups, including those developing Bengali large language models, but high-tech exports account for just 0.2% of the global share, and investment data for AI remains scarce. Technically, despite high mobile penetration, only 44.5% of the population uses the internet, and the country ranks near the bottom among 76 nations for colocation infrastructure capacity.

To address these gaps, the RAM Report proposes 15 priority actions across regulation, institutional reform, and capacity building. Recommendations include finalising an inclusive National AI Policy, strengthening data protection and cybersecurity legislation, updating the Right to Information Act, and creating clear AI procurement guidelines to ensure fairness and inclusion.