Shahir Chowdhury on how ed-tech could transform Bangladesh

Bangladesh is often hailed as an economic miracle, and with good reason. Over the past decade, the country sustained an average GDP growth of 6.4% annually between 2014 and 2023, surpassing regional giants like India, Vietnam, and the Philippines. With a GDP of $455 billion and per capita income of $2,600 as of 2024, Bangladesh is shifting from a narrative dominated by low-wage garments and remittances to a nation on the cusp of technological and demographic transformation.

At the heart of this transformation lies an existential crisis: Bangladesh's struggling education system. With 41 million students, 1.2 million teachers, and over 160,000 schools, Bangladesh has the scale—but not yet the systems—to ensure quality education. Shahir Chowdhury, Founder and CEO of Shikho, during his keynote at Startup Connect 2025, says the country is at a pivotal juncture. It must either modernise its approach to education or risk undermining the very growth engine that has powered its recent success. Below are key excerpts from his keynote speech. 

The education fault lines

Bangladesh's education challenges fall into three interconnected categories: cost, access, and quality. Education remains prohibitively expensive, especially outside major cities, due to reliance on private tuition, disproportionately burdening low-income households.

Access remains uneven, exacerbated by rural-urban divides and economic migration. Many marginalised families struggle to maintain consistent schooling for their children.

Quality suffers due to undertrained teachers, inadequate infrastructure, and outdated learning materials. Teachers often lack professional development opportunities, while unreliable internet and electricity further undermine educational outcomes.

What ed-tech actually means for Bangladesh

Ed-tech—education technology—is more than digitised classrooms; it's a comprehensive reimagining of teaching and learning at scale. ed-tech democratises education, making top-quality teachers, resources, and tools accessible regardless of geography or income.

For students, AI-driven personalised learning adapts to individual strengths, providing real-time feedback and tailored content. Tools like exam preparation aids and doubt solvers enhance critical thinking and active engagement.

For teachers, digital tools for lesson planning, automated grading, and real-time analytics reduce administrative burdens, freeing time for instruction. Online training platforms enable regular professional development.

For institutions and policymakers, robust learning management systems (LMS) offer data-driven insights into attendance, performance, and engagement, enabling efficient resource allocation and policy evaluation.

AI as a co-pilot, not a replacement

AI drives much of ed-tech innovation, such as auto-generated lesson plans, personalised learning paths, and grading assistants offering detailed feedback. These tools augment educators rather than replace them, shifting the focus from rote memorisation to conceptual mastery. Ethical design ensures technology supplements rather than subverts learning.

Scale and momentum

Ed-tech traction in Bangladesh is rapidly growing. Registrations on one platform rose from 90,000 in 2021 to 2.5 million in 2024. Although still a fraction of the total student population, this signals immense potential.

Comparatively, Bangladesh's ed-tech sector remains underfunded. India has attracted $12 billion in ed-tech investments compared to Bangladesh's $18 million—highlighting both the untapped opportunity and urgency for investment and policy support.

Despite limited capital, Bangladeshi ed-tech firms have fundamentals attractive to investors: a large market, high gross margins, and products addressing essential educational needs. Chowdhury argues ed-tech could soon become the country's dominant consumer internet sector.

A $16 billion opportunity

Bangladesh's education market totals $16 billion, including $8 billion in private education and $2 billion in after-school tutoring—areas ed-tech can effectively address. Families already spend a substantial portion of income on education, making affordable digital alternatives crucial.

This intersection of demand and necessity positions education as a key economic driver. An educated workforce is better equipped for the digital economy, resilient to automation, and likely to foster local entrepreneurship.

The triangle of transformation

A tripartite alliance among ed-tech companies, educational institutions, and government policymakers, supported by venture investors is crucial. Schools can modernise curricula and pedagogy, teachers can deliver effective technology-enabled instruction, and policymakers gain real-time insights for agile governance. Investors find strong fundamentals, scalable solutions, and measurable impacts.

A revolution still unfinished

Yet, the ed-tech revolution faces significant hurdles: digital infrastructure challenges, equitable access to devices, and digital literacy issues among educators and students. Regulatory frameworks must support innovation while safeguarding equity and privacy. Most importantly, a national vision is required—one that sees education as foundational to Bangladesh's future growth.

The tools are ready, the need is evident, and the stakes could not be higher. Now, Bangladesh must align vision with execution to transform an educational crisis into its greatest opportunity.