The BSIA Silicon River USA Roadshow 2026 continued in Phoenix, Arizona, this week, bringing together more than 80 non-resident Bangladeshi semiconductor professionals and advancing discussions on industry collaboration, workforce development and academic partnerships aimed at supporting Bangladesh’s semiconductor ambitions.
The Arizona chapter of the roadshow, held on 7 and 8 June, featured a BRAINGAIN Reception, industry presentations and meetings with Arizona State University (ASU), as organisers sought to strengthen links between Bangladesh and one of the fastest-growing semiconductor hubs in the United States.
The BRAINGAIN Reception attracted more than 80 non-resident Bangladeshi semiconductor professionals representing over 30 global semiconductor companies. According to organisers, participants collectively represented more than 1,600 years of industry experience across semiconductor design, manufacturing, packaging, testing, equipment, artificial intelligence and executive leadership.
Nokibul Islam Tapan, director of business development at Stats ChipPAC (JCET), welcomed the delegation and highlighted Arizona’s growing role in the global semiconductor industry. He pointed to expanding opportunities in advanced packaging, testing and semiconductor manufacturing and encouraged stronger engagement between Bangladesh and the international semiconductor sector.
BSIA President M A Jabbar thanked the Arizona community for hosting the delegation and called on the Bangladeshi diaspora to play an active role in the country’s semiconductor development efforts. He said Bangladesh’s ambitions would require collaboration among industry, academia, entrepreneurs, policymakers and the global Bangladeshi community.
Veteran semiconductor professionals Zabir and Dr Riyad presented the activities of the Arizona Bangladeshi Semiconductor Society (ABSS), a volunteer-led initiative focused on semiconductor education, workforce development, mentoring and skills training in Bangladesh.
According to the presenters, more than 10 Arizona-based semiconductor professionals are currently involved in online training, mentoring and technical guidance programmes for Bangladeshi students and young engineers, with participation continuing to expand.
Professor Muhammad Mustafa Hussain of Purdue University and chief architect of the Silicon River Initiative delivered a keynote presentation outlining Bangladesh’s semiconductor vision, strategic priorities, ecosystem-building efforts and recent progress. He encouraged participants to contribute to a coordinated national effort to establish Bangladesh as a globally recognised deep-technology and semiconductor ecosystem.
Dr Rezaul Islam Pavel, a technology leader at IBM, discussed the growing role of Agentic AI and the implications of autonomous systems for semiconductor design, manufacturing, business operations and innovation.
Representing the Government of Bangladesh, Consul General Qazi Muhammad Jabed Iqbal of the Consulate General of Bangladesh in Los Angeles highlighted the government’s commitment to semiconductor development, technology-driven growth and international partnerships.
Following Maghrib prayers and dinner, participants attended presentations by Cactus Materials, DSi, Neural Semiconductor Ltd, iTest, Ulkasemi and ChipMentors, which showcased technical capabilities and potential collaboration opportunities.
The event concluded with remarks from Syed Zaki Huda, president of the Bangladesh Association of Arizona (BAAZ) and lead software engineer at New Relic. He congratulated BSIA, Silicon River, BRAINGAIN and the Arizona Bangladeshi semiconductor community for bringing together professionals from industry and academia and emphasised the importance of continued mentorship and collaboration.
The event was organised under the leadership of veteran semiconductor professional Noor Jamil Sarwar, who played a key role in coordinating participation from Arizona’s Bangladeshi semiconductor community.
On 8 June, the delegation visited Arizona State University, where discussions focused on future collaboration between Bangladesh and the university. According to a press statement, both sides agreed to pursue greater educational engagement through increased admission opportunities for Bangladeshi students, internship pathways, research cooperation and formal engagement with the CREST programme.
Professor Hussain presented a 10-year roadmap outlining potential collaboration in student mobility, workforce development, research partnerships, faculty engagement, entrepreneurship and long-term ecosystem development. The proposal was welcomed by ASU leadership, including Associate Vice Provost Jeff Goss.
ASU also accepted an invitation to participate in the BEAR Summit 2026, scheduled to be held in Dhaka next month.
The Arizona programme concluded with a visit to Cactus Materials, founded by BUET alumnus and semiconductor entrepreneur Dr Rafiqul Islam. Discussions centred on Bangladesh’s growing talent pipeline and increasing global competition among countries seeking to establish themselves as major semiconductor hubs.
The delegation departed Arizona for Silicon Valley, where the next phase of the Silicon River USA Roadshow 2026 will continue with industry meetings, university engagements and additional BRAINGAIN activities.
