The future can’t wait: Why the budget falls short for ICT

The national budget, proposed by Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed on 2 June 2025, aims to steer the economy out of troubled waters and towards sustained recovery while also emphasising a focus on social welfare, economic development and sustainable growth. 

As citizens of this country, we appreciate what the interim government has been doing with their dedication and hard work. But as an IT entrepreneur, I was eagerly waiting to witness a breath of fresh air in terms of the budget allocation, and more than that, an ICT roadmap for the country. 

With all due respect though, the proposed budget does not give us that feeling of 'change' or at least a beginning of reforms. Unfortunately, we have been roaming around without a definite roadmap in the ICT sector and, as a result, are missing out on many opportunities collectively. Till date, whatever achievements we have in this sector have been possible due to private sector initiatives here and there. 

We want to see our government as a mover and shaker to drive this industry forward with a forward-thinking approach, as there are certain components where a long-term vision and execution from government is a must. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is such a topic where a long-term vision and holistic approach from the government is required. With AI taking centre stage in public discourse and its inevitable growth in the foreseeable future, Bangladesh should embrace an AI Mission aimed to bring AI to critical sectors of the economy. 

Countries around the globe have already started investing and planning big — centering AI for the future growth. By mentioning 'countries' I am pointing out not only advanced countries, but a lot of least developed countries that have also started harnessing AI for their development and prosperity with focus on making AI available for socio- economic development by fostering homegrown and domestic AI capacity.

In 2025, we are standing on the edge of what could be the next seismic shift in our digital transformation journey. As a country, we should immediately start dialogues, by inviting all the stakeholders, home and abroad, targeting to have a National Artificial Intelligence Strategy — a strategy that will not be just another policy paper, rather it will be a bold testament which will be massive (in terms of intent and content) and potentially a game-changing statement of intent, an audacious commitment, especially when viewed in the context of other national priorities. Besides that, we need a road map for the next 3-10 years along with the budget to convert our strategy into implementation. 

But, considering the harrowing experience in the past, first and foremost we should set our target deadlines and details like the list of stakeholders, learning from other nations, setting a timeline for the dialogues and finalising the draft strategy paper. There are plenty to discuss, learn, analyse and put on paper. Still, I am pointing out a few which might be taken into consideration.

Improvement of digital infrastructure: Though we have kept hearing about the huge expenditure and development of digital infrastructure during the past regime, the reality of infrastructure might not be as crisp as it sounds. It is imperative now, to look into and allocate a proper budget for building critical digital infrastructure. We will be needing to build up a national "AI cloud" or supercomputing facility to provide shared computing capacity. High-speed connectivity across the country will be mandatory. We also need to focus on making internet access affordable. 

Data ecosystems as the driver to power AI: We have to understand and realise that data is the foundational resource for any AI system. We should aim to build robust, secure, and locally-relevant datasets. This will involve digitising public records, encouraging data sharing among agencies, and developing open government data portals. As privacy and ethical use of data are integral to the plan, we must emphasise enacting a practical and localised Data Protection Act and a National Data Governance Framework. Our goal will be to enable AI which is not only powerful, but contextually aware and inclusive.

Local, circumstantial and homegrown AI: Should we only be aiming to import AI solutions from the USA, China or other countries? I strongly believe we should not. We have to emphasise the importance of nurturing local AI talent and innovation to develop solutions that address our specific needs. These might include AI tools for diagnosing crop diseases, public health bots that speak in Bangla (in different regional dialects) and AI tutors in schools. We must create R&D hubs and centres of excellence for AI that will support our local researchers and entrepreneurs with infrastructure, mentorship, and funding. 

Development of local talents as the backbone of AI revolution: We have seen a barrage of public money go into the drain in the name of 'Human Resource Development' in the past. It is the time to turn it around and focus on producing over 5,000 genuine AI specialists at postgraduate level, while also training tens of thousands of software engineers, data scientists, and machine learning professionals through bootcamps, vocational programs, and university curricula. AI literacy should be introduced in schools, with the development of learning materials tailored to different education levels. 

Government as the primary buyer: Charity should begin at home. Our government can genuinely create demand for local AI solutions by becoming a lead procurer. Ministries and government agencies should be encouraged to adopt AI tools in service delivery—perhaps by introducing AI chatbots for citizen engagement, by creating automated registration systems, predictive analytics for public health etc. These applications will actually serve dual purposes: to improve service delivery and to create a local market for AI startups and enterprises. Public procurement rules should be adapted to include innovation criteria, thereby making it easier for early-stage firms to win government contracts.

Genuine emphasis on inclusion: We should get rid of that ever-existing reality of everything being based out in Dhaka. A strategy will have to be enacted by having ethical considerations at the centre of AI development. The AI systems built under this strategy must be equitable — ensuring that marginalised communities, women, and people with disabilities will not be excluded or discriminated against. Inclusion means supporting AI solutions in rural areas, funding female-led AI startups, and requiring ethics reviews for publicly funded AI projects.

AI as an integral part of national development plans: Considering the future reality, we should embrace a strategy that aligns with other national priorities. AI should not be treated as an isolated technology vertical, rather as an enabling infrastructure for all sectors. Whether in agriculture, public service, healthcare, education, or creative industries, we must start believing that AI can help to implement our development goals. 

Look out for big tech partnerships to accelerate execution: We badly lack leveraging strategic partnerships with global technology players. Every now and then, we talk about all sorts of high hopes (without any definite direction). But, the fact of the matter is, we have miserably failed to focus on building long lasting strategic partnerships. Let's look back and learn from the mistakes. The government should draw a road map of bringing meaningful collaborations with Tech Giants from not only companies but also countries. Such collaborations might bring not only funding but also technical know-how, access to global AI tools, and the potential to co-develop local solutions. By having such alliances, we can fast-track our AI ambitions.

Build startup support and commercialisation pathways:  Our Government has to realise that startups are critical engines for innovation. We should have our plans designed accordingly to provide AI startups with technical infrastructure (via hubs and accelerators), financial support (including seed funding and access to venture capital), and market access (including public sector procurement). We should encourage and create an environment where entrepreneurs can move from idea to impact through structured incubation and commercialisation pipelines.

Finally, we must remember, the question actually is not whether we should adopt AI — rather how we will shape it to keep ourselves future-ready in the global digital economy. We must harness AI's potential to drive economic growth. This process must, however, be guided by strong government support. AI is changing the nature of work. While some work will be automated, it will also create new job spaces. 

AI is not here to replace us but to enhance our potential. This is the high time to realise the reality and shift our focus to equip our workforce with the right skills so that AI can be a catalyst in their operations. Once again, I want to emphasise that our government must bring together all stakeholders to ensure no voice is left out. Why? Because AI is too powerful to be left to a chosen few. By doing so, we might be losing our ways to stay relevant in this new age.

Sketch: TBS

Mostafizur Rahaman Sohel is Managing Director of Advanced ERP BD Ltd and a Former Senior Vice President of BASIS.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.