China ‘s Investors Invited to Build Bangladesh’s Manufacturing Future

Dr. Muhammad Yunus highlights youthful workforce and sectoral promise

It was a packed hall in Dhaka on Sunday. The China-Bangladesh Business and Investment Conference had just kicked off. And there, standing at the center, Bangladesh’s interim Chief Advisor, Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, made a heartfelt appeal.

“Come, invest in Bangladesh,” he said, looking out at the crowd of visiting Chinese delegates. “This is your opportunity to be part of something growing.”

The conference brought together over 250 business leaders from around 100 Chinese firms. The goal? Explore how China and Bangladesh could collaborate in sectors like garments, nuclear energy, agriculture, study, ICT, and even jute. The event was jointly organized by both governments.

Dr. Yunus didn’t just speak about factories and trade. He spoke about people. “More than 50% of our population is under 30,” he noted. “They’re not just young — they’re ready to work.”

This wasn’t just a political speech. It felt like an invitation — one rooted in realism. Bangladesh, with its rising industrial base, is trying to become more than a garment-exporting country. And partnerships, especially with a powerhouse like China, could speed up that dream.

Also present were China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen. Both highlighted China’s willingness to expand economic ties.

Throughout the day, investors joined sessions, exchanged ideas, and asked questions. Some explored the tech sector, others looked into renewable energy and agro-processing.

There was optimism in the air. Bangladesh wants to move fast — not just build factories, but build trust, jobs, and global ties. And if things go as planned, this event could be the beginning of a stronger industrial future.

Bangladesh Cancels $21 Million Naval Deal with Indian Company

Diplomatic tension rises as Dhaka withdraws contract after India restricts cargo transit

Bangladesh has canceled a $21 million defense contract with a West Bengal-based Indian company following India’s recent restrictions on the transport of Bangladeshi goods through its land ports. Multiple Indian media outlets reported this development on May 23.

The naval deal, signed in July 2023, was between Bangladesh Navy and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE), a company under India’s Ministry of Defence. This vessel was to be the first major purchase under a 500 million dollar defense credit line extended by India to Bangladesh in recent years.

Sources indicate that the cancellation decision was made soon after India halted the movement of Bangladeshi exports, including garments, through its land ports last Saturday. Indian news agencies claim this move by Bangladesh is a direct response to the sudden trade restriction.

The chief adviser of Bangladesh Dr. Muhammad Yunus described India’s northeastern states—the “Seven Sisters”—as landlocked and highlighted Bangladesh as their sole maritime access route. He also suggested that China could use this advantage to improve their trading system through Bangladesh. This statement reportedly triggered India’s trade blockade.

Indian outlet India Today confirmed that the canceled deal was worth around 1.8 billion Indian rupees. GRSE, which also constructs and maintains ships for India’s navy and coast guard, acknowledged the cancellation in a statement to the Indian stock exchange.

According to Hindu Business Line, the cancellation was finalized through mutual agreement. The shipbuilder had been tasked with building and delivering the tugboat as part of the strategic defense cooperation between the two nations.

Over the past eight years, India has extended $8 billion to Bangladesh under its Line of Credit program, supporting several infrastructure projects that began during the tenure of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

Intercom Showcases ‘Fin’ AI Agent at Next Ventures Bangladesh Workshop
AI integration and MCP protocol pave the way for future-ready support systems

A two-day workshop focused on Intercom’s next-generation AI agent, ‘Fin’, was held at the Next Ventures Bangladesh office in Dhaka’s Progoti Sarani. The event, organized by Intercom in collaboration with Next Ventures, brought together a five-member delegation from the UK and Ireland to discuss the real-world applications and future of the Fin AI agent.

One of the workshop’s key highlights was the Model Context Protocol (MCP), a new standard in the AI landscape. This protocol allows different AI agents to access a shared memory and data system. As a result, agents can maintain context from past interactions and communicate more naturally—much like a human. Intercom has already implemented MCP in its client-server network, and Next Ventures is developing its own MCP-based server.

The Fin AI agent is designed to go beyond basic responses. It can deliver information, make fast decisions, solve problems, and learn from previous experiences. This approach, called “Agentic Support AI,” allows Fin to respond based not just on facts, but also on the user’s behavior and preferences. It can think independently and handle complex queries in real-time.

Next Ventures Bangladesh is among the top enterprise users of Intercom, serving customers in over 170 countries. The company is one of the few to receive access to Fin’s limited closed beta version. According to Intercom’s Senior Director Kieran Nolan, organizations like Shopify and Stripe have also been included in this early access program.

Tanjim Hasan, Vice President of Technology at Next Ventures Bangladesh, described Fin as an intelligent layer that drastically improves efficiency. Tasks that previously took ten minutes can now be completed in seconds.

During Bangladesh’s internet disruption in July 2024, Next Ventures relocated 32 employees to Nepal to continue operations using Fin. The company runs major operational hubs in the UAE, Malaysia, Cyprus, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. It’s a great news.

This workshop showcased how Fin is shaping the next phase of AI-powered customer service, with ‘Next Ventures’ Bangladesh at the forefront of this technological shift.