Bangladesh is moving to introduce an artificial intelligence (AI)-based data analysis system that will forecast potential supply disruptions of essential commodities by analysing a decade of production, import, export and global market data.
The system will help policymakers identify possible shortages in advance, assess suitable import sources and take faster decisions to keep the supply of sensitive products stable, Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir said on Tuesday.
Speaking at an e-commerce implementation meeting at the Commerce Ministry in Dhaka, chaired by Commerce Secretary Md Ataur Rahman Khan, the minister said supply disruptions often become a major reason behind price increases and market instability.
“Whether the government will reduce prices through subsidies when prices rise is a separate matter. But our main objective is to ensure that market instability is not created because of supply interruptions,” he said.
The minister said various ministries and agencies currently monitor sensitive products across agriculture, food and industrial sectors. However, he said a coordinated system is needed to analyse which products are produced locally, which depend on imports and which require a combination of domestic production and foreign sourcing.
The proposed AI platform will analyse 10 years of market information to provide faster assessments on possible supply gaps, import options, global price movements and production capacity of exporting countries.
For products such as pulses and onions, the system will track domestic production trends, seasonal shortages, international market conditions and the export capacity of supplier countries, according to the minister.
He said Bangladesh needs to know in advance when a shortage could emerge, which country would be the most suitable import source and when purchasing from global markets would provide the best advantage.
The minister gave the example of pulses, saying that if production is expected to decline in a particular year, preparations should begin before harvesting begins rather than after a shortage appears.
Currently, collecting and analysing such information requires coordination among multiple ministries and agencies, often delaying decisions. The AI-based system would provide necessary analysis within minutes by processing large volumes of historical and current data, he said.
The platform would not be operated by the Commerce Ministry alone. Agriculture, food and other relevant ministries and agencies would work together, with participating organisations receiving access to necessary information.
Khandakar Abdul Muktadir said reliable data sources would be critical for the effectiveness of the system. Alongside government information, international open-source and subscription-based data sources would be used to build a comprehensive database.
He said the technology would require time to develop initially, but after passing through different stages, it would be able to analyse information faster and more efficiently than manual processes.
“Building the ability to take quick and accurate decisions based on reliable information is the main objective of this initiative,” he said, adding that the system would strengthen market management and protect consumer interests.
The meeting also discussed e-commerce development, technology-based market management and future action plans.
