Bangladesh’s semiconductor push started to move from roadmap to execution as the industry association secured vendor entry, structured partnerships and ecosystem integration with leading US semiconductor firms before concluding its four-day US roadshow on Friday.
Bangladesh Semiconductor Industry Association (BSIA) said US chipmaker GlobalFoundries confirmed two Bangladeshi firms as primary vendors, marking a direct entry point into its supply ecosystem.
Electronic design automation company Synopsys aligned on workforce expansion and ecosystem programmes, while flash storage and memory solutions firm SanDisk initiated an internal evaluation of a proposed five-year collaboration roadmap.
Leading the delegation, Muhammad Mustafa Hussain, chief architect of Silicon River Bangladesh, presented a national semiconductor framework spanning design, advanced packaging, electronics, artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, robotics and innovation.
Silicon River Bangladesh is a strategic national semiconductor and deep-tech ecosystem initiative to integrate Bangladesh into the global semiconductor value chain.
The overall framework is anchored in Silicon River, Centre for Research and Engineering in Semiconductor Technologies, Skills for Industry Competitiveness and Innovation Programme, Synopsys Academic and Research Alliance, STAR, Bangladesh Global AI and Innovation Network, and BEAR Summit.
BSIA is targeting annual exports above $1 billion by 2030, up from $10–12 million. The Bangladesh government on Thursday offered a 1 per cent import duty on semiconductor tools to support scaling.
The association said SanDisk executives Matt Crowley and Deepanshu Dutta reviewed a five-year collaboration roadmap after a research and development tour covering talent development, advanced packaging, storage validation, AI infrastructure, digital twins, manufacturing innovation and research.
GlobalFoundries discussions centred on advanced packaging, AI systems, bioelectronics and a proposed design and research centre in Bangladesh linked to global universities.
Synopsys Chief Innovation Officer Ron Duncan reviewed Bangladesh’s ecosystem roadmap on 10 June. Outcomes included participation in a summit, expanded access for Bangladeshi universities under the Synopsys Academic and Research Alliance, and a national workforce programme targeting 3,500 engineers.
Also, a manufacturing design kit centre concept was also advanced with global partners.
Discussions with Credo Semiconductor focused on semiconductor design, connectivity and workforce development, identifying multiple collaboration tracks.
Non-resident Bangladeshi engineers and entrepreneurs in Sacramento committed to mentorship, investment and ecosystem support.
Nearly 100 non-resident Bangladeshi professionals, investors and executives from top chip firms attended a Silicon River reception.
Intel engaged its Bangladeshi-origin technologists to explore collaboration, while chip design company Arm’s Bangladeshi officials discussed semiconductor design, AI computing, advanced systems and talent pipelines.
BSIA president M A Jabbar highlighted diaspora engagement to develop the industry since 2017.
Semiconductor equipment engineering firm Yield Engineering Systems discussed equipment engineering, advanced packaging, assembly, testing, digital twins and workforce training, with immediate collaboration identified in equipment design and workforce development.
UC Berkeley SkyDeck, a startup accelerator platform, focused on agreements on startup readiness, investor engagement and venture capital access to strengthen Bangladesh’s innovation pipeline.
Across engagements, Silicon River functioned as the integration layer linking firms, academia and diaspora with global semiconductor ecosystems, marking a shift toward structured execution across vendor entry, talent scaling and capital access.
