In a move toward building a high-tech future, Bangladesh and China have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen collaboration in the rapidly expanding semiconductor industry, a sector seen as critical to national competitiveness in the age of artificial intelligence, smart manufacturing, and digital infrastructure.
The agreement was signed on Sunday in Dhaka between the Bangladesh Semiconductor Industry Association (BSIA) and the Hubei Semiconductor Industry Association (HSIA), marking the first major bilateral framework aimed at integrating Bangladesh into the global semiconductor value chain with Chinese technological support.
BSIA President MA Jabbar and HSIA Vice President Professor Wei Liu, representing China’s influential “Optical Valley”, Wuhan, formally inked the deal during a high-profile ceremony attended by academia, industry leaders, and government stakeholders.
A roadmap for tech transformation
Under the MoU, both nations will collaborate on a comprehensive range of initiatives, including knowledge and technology exchange, joint research and development (R&D), training and certification programs to build a skilled semiconductor workforce, bilateral investments and business partnerships, as well as trade delegations and joint participation in international expos.
The partnership aims to fast-track Bangladesh’s entry into semiconductor design, packaging, testing, and ancillary manufacturing, sectors that have long been dominated by East Asian economies.
Professor Wei Liu highlighted Wuhan’s status as a tech powerhouse, home to hundreds of semiconductor and optical communication firms, over 60 universities, and a student population of nearly 1.3 million. “Wuhan is not just China’s ‘Optical Valley’. It’s a global innovation hub,” he said. “Bangladesh’s young, talented workforce presents enormous potential for collaboration in engineering training, joint research, and technology transfer.”
He revealed plans to bring nearly 500 semiconductor companies under the HSIA umbrella into potential joint ventures with Bangladeshi firms, paving the way for technology transfer, local capacity building, and foreign direct investment (FDI) in high-tech zones.
Building a domestic semiconductor ecosystem
For Bangladesh, the agreement is a strategic leap toward reducing dependency on imported electronics and positioning itself as a regional player in advanced manufacturing.
“This is not just a business deal – it’s a milestone in our technological sovereignty,” said BSIA President MA Jabbar. “This MoU will accelerate our integration into the global semiconductor supply chain, create high-value jobs, and open new avenues for academic and industrial innovation.”
Currently, Bangladesh imports nearly all of its semiconductor-based components for electronics, telecom, and consumer goods. With global chip shortages exposing supply chain vulnerabilities, the push for local capability has gained urgency.
Experts believe the collaboration could catalyse the creation of semiconductor design labs, technical training hubs, and even pilot fabrication units in partnership with Chinese firms.
Academia and industry unite
The event drew leading figures from Bangladesh’s academic and tech sectors, including Professor Dr. Roknuzzaman of North South University, Professor Dr ASMA Hasib of BUET, BSIA Senior Advisor Enayetur Rahman, and industry directors Kamrul Ahsan Dewanji, Alia Shafqat, and Ashiqur Rahman Tanim, alongside representatives from emerging local tech firms.
Dr Roknuzzaman called the MoU “a game-changer” for Bangladesh’s digital economy. “We have the youth, the energy, and now, the partnerships. What we need is sustained investment and policy support to turn this potential into reality.”
A step toward the ‘Silicon Delta’?
With its strong IT workforce, growing electronics manufacturing base, and now a formal tech alliance with one of the world’s semiconductor powerhouses, Bangladesh may be laying the foundation for a “Silicon Delta” in the Bay of Bengal.
As global supply chains diversify and demand for chips soars, this China-backed initiative could position Bangladesh not just as a garment exporter, but as a rising hub for smart technology and semiconductor services in South Asia.
The message is clear: Bangladesh is no longer just assembling devices. It’s aiming to design the chips inside them.