Bangladesh has sought partnerships with established semiconductor firms to secure a stronger foothold in the global value chain as the country accelerates its push toward building a $1 billion industry by 2030.
The Bangladesh Semiconductor Industry Association (BSIA) used the Malaysia Semiconductor Roadshow in Penang, held from 11 to 13 November, to call for deeper South–South collaboration and long-term partnerships in chip design, manufacturing and innovation.
The association said in a press release that the event connected leaders from the Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association, the Malaysia Investment Development Authority and the Penang government with Bangladeshi delegates to explore new areas of cooperation.
Penang Deputy Chief Minister II Jagdeep Singh Deo said semiconductor firms from Bangladesh were beginning to step into Penang’s technology ecosystem and added that collaboration between the two sides would become increasingly feasible in the coming years.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to Malaysia Manjurul Karim Khan Chowdhury encouraged Penang-based companies to expand partnerships with Bangladeshi firms and said the country’s young engineering talent was contributing to global research, design and innovation.
During the programme, the Bangladeshi delegation met senior executives and visited Rapid Manufacturing, Infinecs Corporation, TF-AMD, Micro Modular System, Aemulus Corporation, YBS International and the Penang Skills Development Centre.
BSIA President MA Jabbar said Bangladesh was entering the global semiconductor landscape with renewed momentum and was prepared to collaborate, co-create and contribute to the global value chain.
Purdue University professor Muhammad Mustafa Hussain described the initiative as the beginning of a South–South Silicon Corridor and urged the industry to aim beyond its perceived limitations.
Credo Semiconductor Assistant Vice President Shatil Haque said the roadshow marked a shift from intention to implementation, moving from conversations to co-creation.
Organisers said the programme opened opportunities in chip design, testing, packaging, automation, workforce development and broader innovation-led semiconductor engagement.
The association last year unveiled a roadmap to lift Bangladesh’s semiconductor exports to $1 billion by 2030 from less than $10 million at present through workforce training and policy support. Around seventy non-resident Bangladeshi semiconductor professionals with global experience have already joined the effort.
Bangladesh’s semiconductor journey began in the 2000s and gained visibility from 2017 through design services for international companies. In 2022 around 400 designers from three firms generated $6 million in exports. By 2024 nearly 700 designers contributed roughly $8 million.
BSIA said the global semiconductor market, valued at $700 billion and projected to cross $1 trillion by 2030, offered Bangladesh the chance to build a $10 billion industry even with a 1% share if policy support and academia align with industry needs.
The association’s fourteen members include BALU Technologies, Cactus Materials, Dynamic Solution Innovators, iTest Bangladesh, MARS Solutions, Metro Scientific, Neural Semiconductor, Prime Silicon Technology, Siliconova, Tafuri Technologies, Tahoe Private Limited, Teton Private Limited, THiNK Global Limited and Ulkasemi Private Limited.
