Bangladesh is seeking closer technology ties with Singapore as it looks to expand digital payments, modernise postal services and use artificial intelligence more widely in healthcare and public administration.
Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam discussed the areas with Singapore’s non-resident High Commissioner to Bangladesh Derek Loh Eu-Tse at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Monday.
The talks covered digital payments, telecommunications, information technology, e-commerce, artificial intelligence and the wider digital economy.
Anam said Bangladesh was working to accelerate digital transformation and improve technology-driven public services, and could draw on Singapore’s experience in those areas.
A key focus is Bangladesh’s extensive postal network. The government wants to modernise post offices and turn them into hubs for e-commerce, parcel delivery and integrated logistics services.
The government is also seeking wider use of digital payments in public services to improve revenue collection, transparency and accountability.
Anam highlighted potential applications of AI in healthcare and public administration, saying technology could improve citizen services, make government operations more efficient and support economic activity.
Loh said Singapore saw scope to use Bangladesh’s postal infrastructure for e-commerce, parcel delivery and logistics, while sharing its experience in digital payments for government services.
He also identified healthcare, research, biomedical technology and public services as areas where AI could be applied more widely.
Loh stressed the need to prepare young people for an increasingly AI-driven labour market and said Singapore was interested in sharing technical knowledge and expertise.
Singapore High Commission Chargé d’Affaires Philip Ong and Enterprise Singapore Development Partner for South Asia Benjamin Chue were among those attending the meeting.
