Technology will be a crucial part for the next stage of industrialization in Bangladesh with regard to sustainability, competitiveness and creating decent employments, said Faruque Hassan, President of BGMEA.

"Technological innovations are imperative not only to enhance competitiveness but also to make business sustainable," he said.

He came up with the observations while addressing a session of the Leadership Summit hosted by the Indian Ocean Rim Business Forum in Dhaka on November 21. 

Education Minister Dipu Moni, MP attended the event as chief guest while Private Industry and Investment Adviser to the Honorable Prime Minister Salman Fazlur Rahman, MP, and State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr. Md. Enamur Rahman, MP were present as special guests. 

Sheikh Fazle Fahim, Chair of Indian Ocean Rim Business Forum was also present. 

In his speech Faruque Hassan said sustainability and digitalization are interlinked and greatly complements each other. 

Smart supply chain management is a great way to become resource efficient, environment friendly, cost competitive in the long run and sustainable, he added.

“Without use of technologies, optimum use of water, energy and other resources cannot be ensured. Therefore, we need to inspire the use of fourth generation technologies in our supply chain,” he also said.

“As much as we are saying automation is important, we are equally concerned about jobs and livelihoods. If efficiency and competitiveness can be enhanced, it will certainly generate more business, which would require more employment in labor-intensive manufacturing,” the BGMEA President remarked. 

Ichiguchi Tomohide, chief representative of JICA Bangladesh; Young-ah Doh, Country Director, KOICA Bangladesh; Habibullah N Karim, Founder and CEO, Technohaven; Sonia Bashir Kabir, Managing Director, SBK Ventures; Anil Sooklal, Ambassador at Large, Asia and BRICS, South Africa; and Nokuthula Nokky Ndlovu, Managing Director, Projectized Management also spoke at the session as panelists, which was moderated by Dr. Syed Ferhat Anwar, Professor, University of Dhaka.