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BANGLADESH’S economic growth has largely relied on low-cost labour and export-oriented manufacturing. Built mostly on unskilled or semi-skilled work, this model has long overlooked the importance of research and innovation. Even today, in a fast-changing and technology-driven world, the legacy of this approach continues. But the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) marks a decisive shift — it demands more than a technically trained workforce. It calls for a vibrant ecosystem of researchers, engineers, scientists and entrepreneurs capable of generating home-grown solutions to both local and global challenges.

The 4IR is being shaped by the integration of physical, digital and biological systems through technologies like artificial intelligence, automation, smart machines, big data and biotechnology. These advances are not only transforming industries but also changing the way we live, learn and work. In this fast-changing world, research can no longer remain limited to laboratories, postgraduate programmes, or specialised institutions. It must become an essential part of undergraduate education. To thrive in the future job market — or even to create new opportunities — graduates must be equipped with research-driven, innovative skills from the outset.

For Bangladesh, the question is no longer whether research should be a national priority — it must be. Our long-term economic resilience, technological self-reliance, and global competitiveness depend on building a culture of innovation and investing in knowledge creation.

Without a strong research ecosystem, Bangladesh risks becoming a passive consumer of imported technologies — dependent, reactive and vulnerable. This weakens our ability to respond effectively to disruptions in health, agriculture, climate or industry.

To meet the demands of 4IR, Bangladesh must move beyond traditional industries. One promising area is the country’s growing ICT sector, which presents strong opportunities in fields such as software development, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. Strategic investments in electronics and semiconductors could help Bangladesh move up the global value chain. Likewise, emerging sectors such as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, precision agriculture, advanced manufacturing, and EdTech offer strong pathways to inclusive and sustainable growth.

Globally, leading 4IR nations invest heavily in research and development. South Korea, for example, allocates over 4% of its GDP to research and development. Bangladesh, by comparison, spends less than 0.5%. This gap reflects not just financial limitations but also a lack of strategic policy direction, political will and institutional readiness.

Research is not a luxury — it is a necessity. It is essential for ensuring food security through climate-resilient crops, health security through biotechnology, and economic security through innovation. Without locally generated knowledge and evidence, even the best-intentioned policies often fail to deliver.

Yet, most universities in Bangladesh — public and private alike — remain heavily focused on classroom teaching, with little incentive or support for research. Even outcome-based education — a system aimed at linking education with real-world outcomes — remains disconnected from the research culture. As a result, students are trained to memorise, not to question, solve or innovate.

To chart a new course, our universities must evolve into engines of discovery. This means funding faculty and student research, establishing interdisciplinary research centres, incentivising innovation, and embedding research into both undergraduate and postgraduate curricula. Fostering a research mindset among young people must become a national goal, not an afterthought.

Policy reform is crucial. Bangladesh needs a coherent national research policy, backed by long-term investment, sustainable funding mechanisms and strong collaboration between academia, industry and government. Existing research councils and development plans often suffer from fragmentation and poor implementation. A unified framework is needed to bridge these gaps and demonstrate real political commitment.

The private sector must also be brought into the fold — not merely as beneficiaries of innovation but as co-investors and collaborators in research. Without this synergy, research risks becoming disconnected from real-world needs.

If research remains sidelined, Bangladesh risks a future where its workforce is overtaken by automation, its agriculture is ravaged by climate shocks, and its economic momentum stalls under technological dependency. The stakes could not be higher.

It is vital to understand that the Fourth Industrial Revolution is not just about adopting new technologies — it is about building the capacity to innovate, adapt and lead. For Bangladesh to thrive — not merely survive — in this era of intelligent machines and rapid transformation, research must move from the margins to the centre of national strategy. This is not just a priority for scientists or policymakers — it’s a promise to our youth, a path to self-reliance and a safeguard for our future. Only by investing in research today can Bangladesh shape its own destiny in the world of tomorrow.

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MM Shahidul Hassan is a distinguished professor, Eastern University, and former vice chancellor, East West University.