From Slums to Finance: BUBT Seminar Charts Bangladesh’s AI-Powered Economic Future

UsaNewsOnline.Com Desk, New York – Can Artificial Intelligence (AI) lift slum dwellers, secure banks, and create jobs? This pressing question fueled a dynamic international seminar hosted February 9 by the Bangladesh University of Business and Technology (BUBT). Moving beyond theoretical debate, International seminar the event, “AI and Research for the Betterment of Economics in Real Life,” assembled former government secretaries, World Bank consultants, industry pioneers, and student researchers to draft a practical blueprint for an AI-integrated economy. With over eighty participants engaged, the seminar established itself as a crucial incubator for ideas. Organizers announced plans to expand future forums, aiming to draw an even broader roster of global experts. The message was clear: Bangladesh is actively moving to translate AI research into equitable growth, ensuring the technology benefits the many, not just the few.
Masterfully steered by Md. Abdulla Al Noman, the hybrid seminar fostered a vibrant dialogue between the physical audience at Room B-4/801 and virtual participants worldwide, focusing squarely on actionable strategies.
Policy Meets Ground Reality
The seminar ignited with a compelling virtual presentation from Chief Guest Yashoda Durge, PhD, who demonstrated how AI frameworks could be designed to directly improve living conditions for urban slum communities. Her work posed a foundational challenge: “The question isn’t if AI is powerful, but who it is powerful for.”
Echoing this call for tangible impact, Ms. Selina Akhter, former Additional Secretary, delivered a candid assessment of the research-practice gap. “We have research grants and studies, but the leap to practical application in sectors like banking and fintech is often missing,” she stated, urging for more targeted, utility-driven AI research to transform the nation’s financial landscape.
Data, Ethics, and the Industry 5.0 Workforce
Experts agreed that data forms the backbone of this transformation. Professor Dr. Mohammad Mansur Ahmad, a World Bank consultant, warned that without mastering “statistical data analytics and big data,” the nation’s AI ambitions would lack a solid foundation.

The debate grew urgent concerning the future job market. Dr. Tannisha Kundu of Amity University, India, outlined essential regulatory frameworks for AI, while Mr. Albert Jackson from the Bank of Asia provided a frontline industry perspective. “In the era of Industry 5.0, AI is not just a tool for efficiency; it’s a partner that reshapes roles. The pros are immense, but the cons of unguided automation are a real risk,” Jackson shared, highlighting the critical need for strategic workforce planning.
Nurturing the Next Generation of Innovators
A highlight was the recognition of budding talent. The Best Student Paper Award was clinched by Syed Saifulla Zihadi and his partner, while the Best Student Poster Presentation was awarded to Chayan Debnath. Their work underscored the seminar’s success in engaging the minds that will drive Bangladesh’s AI future.
Presiding over the sessions, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mahboob Ali of BUBT emphasized the power of collaborative knowledge and called for clear AI rules and regulations in the country. This sentiment was championed by the Department Chairman, Prof. Dr. Mahmudul Hossain, who noted, “This forum is where theory meets the architects of tomorrow’s economy.” Press Release.