The National Semiconductor Symposium & BEAR Summit 2026 kicked off in Dhaka yesterday, bringing together government officials, semiconductor experts, academics, and industry leaders to discuss Bangladesh’s aspirations in building a semiconductor industry. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurated the event at Novotheatre in the capital, also launching the BEAR Innovation Expo 2026 showcasing innovations by students and startups in the semiconductor and deep-tech sectors.
The symposium, organized by the Bangladesh Semiconductor Industry Association (BSIA), BEAR, and Silicon River Bangladesh, is centered around the theme “Building Bangladesh’s Semiconductor Future through Global Partnership.” The opening session commenced with a welcoming address by BSIA President MA Jabbar.
Keynotes were provided by Fakir Mahbub Anam Swapan, the Minister for ICT and Science & Technology, M Anwar Hossain, the Science & Technology Secretary, Rehan Asif Asad, the Prime Minister’s adviser on Posts, Telecommunications, Information Technology, and Science & Technology, and Prof Muhammad Mustafa Hussain of Purdue University, outlining the vision for the BEAR initiative and Bangladesh’s semiconductor ecosystem.
Prime Minister Rahman toured the BEAR Innovation Expo, engaging with students, startups, and technology exhibitors presenting semiconductor and deep-tech innovations. The afternoon program featured a keynote address by Ahmed Bahai, the Chief Technology Officer of Texas Instruments, followed by panel discussions on semiconductor talent development, ecosystem establishment, and global industry collaboration.
Representatives from government bodies, universities, semiconductor companies, and international organizations like GlobalFoundries, NXP Semiconductors, Ulkasemi, Prime Silicon, Neural Semiconductor, BUET, Islamic University of Technology, Arizona State University, and the University of Saskatchewan participated in the discussions.
The summit will continue on Sunday with additional panel discussions focusing on Bangladesh’s deep-tech future, the CREST Fellows Research Symposium, and a closing ceremony. During the conclusion, organizers plan to unveil eight strategic national frameworks and roadmaps aimed at bolstering the country’s semiconductor ecosystem.