In the late 90s and early 2000s, Bangladesh experienced a boom in its telecommunication industry. Engineers were in high demand as telecom companies were eyeing rapid network expansion. This created a huge demand for a skilled, knowledgeable workforce, many of them engineers, to ensure that this critical infrastructure reliably provided service to the hundreds of thousands, and soon-to-be millions, of users nationwide. Fresh graduates who started their careers in the telecommunications sector reaped its benefits with lucrative salaries and the opportunity to work with the fastest-growing companies in the country. But, most importantly, the telecommunication sector played a major role in creating meaningful jobs with lasting impact, providing opportunities for thousands of fresh graduates each year.

The telecommunication sector is now virtually saturated, and growth has steadied as almost the entirety of Bangladesh has mobile network coverage. It has been some time since Bangladesh has witnessed a sector with growth as prolific. Enter the semiconductor industry.

THE SEMICONDUCTOR PROMISE

Recently, the semiconductor industry has been making headlines in the news. The semiconductor industry typically refers to companies involved in creating chips for electronic devices such as smartphones and laptops. Globally, this is a massive market. In 2024, it was valued at USD 630.5 billion and is expected to grow to between USD 1 trillion and 2 trillion by 2033. Setting aside the drivers of this growth, what this projection really implies is the opportunity for Bangladesh to find its foothold in this rapidly expanding market. The semiconductor industry presents the same promise that the telecommunications sector did two decades ago.

CHIP DESIGN, FABRICATION, AND PACKAGING

There are three major phases in chip manufacturing: design, where the blueprint of the chip is created; fabrication, where circuits are built on thin silicon wafers using a highly complex process; and packaging, which seals off the fabricated chips to protect them and prepares them for integration into devices. Only a handful of countries have the infrastructure and capital to fabricate chips, while a few more handle packaging. For Bangladesh, chip design is the most feasible way forward to capitalise on the growth of the semiconductor industry.

The semiconductor industry has attracted engineers, fostered innovation, and positioned Bangladesh to be a part of the global ecosystem. The career path is highly lucrative: entry-level jobs come with a steep learning curve but also a steep return.

BANGLADESH’S CHIP DESIGN STORY

Bangladesh is no stranger to chip design, even if the general public has not heard much about it. Three companies - PrimeSilicon, Ulkasemi, and Neural Semiconductor - are often recognised as the top players in the field. Ulkasemi was founded in 2007, PrimeSilicon in 2013, and Neural Semiconductor in 2017. But the industry is much bigger. It is housing, nurturing, and growing talents that are putting Bangladesh on the global map as a hub for chip design, while at the same time creating opportunities for homegrown engineers to be trained while working with global chip manufacturing companies.

A major contributor to Bangladesh’s chip design industry has been United International University’s VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) lab and its industry-partnership program, the VLSI Training Academy (VTA). Flying under the radar, chip design companies, VLSI engineers, and industry trainers have quietly been building the foundations of the industry in Bangladesh. New companies have been established, and very recently, the Bangladeshi Semiconductor Industry Association (BSIA) was formed.

A CAREER PATH BEYOND EMPLOYMENT

The semiconductor industry has attracted engineers, fostered innovation, and positioned Bangladesh to be a part of the global ecosystem. The career path is highly lucrative: entry-level jobs come with a steep learning curve but also a steep return. This goes beyond gainful employment - it opens doors to both research and international opportunities abroad.

Over the last decade, chip design has attracted significant foreign clients. With broader national exposure and multiple state visits where positive conversations on trade and international cooperation between Bangladesh and other Asian countries have taken place, chip design has suddenly gained new momentum.

MOMENTUM MEETS AMBITION

Chip design companies in Bangladesh are now excited. They are eyeing significant growth. They are aiming to increase employment manifold. And, they are searching for ways to invest directly in educational institutions to bridge the gap between industry and academia.

Concrete opportunities are taking shape. Fresh graduates and engineering students now have a direct role to play in the proliferation of the next big tech-driven economic growth in Bangladesh. With the establishment of the BSIA and a global market size large enough to justify investment risks, the semiconductor industry holds the same promise that the telecommunication sector did for Bangladesh two decades ago.