LingoAI Foundation Pte Ltd (Singapore) and the Bangladesh Internet Governance Forum (BIGF) have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly advance artificial intelligence (AI), multilingual technology, and sustainable digital governance in Bangladesh. 

The partnership will extend to different universities in Bangladesh, with an emphasis on collaborative research projects, active engagement of students and faculty, and the application of AI in practical, local scenarios. 

In addition, those involving universities will enhance the Bangladesh Internet Governance Forum (BIGF)'s existing collaborations with academic institutions nationwide. In collaboration with LingoAI, public and private universities in Bangladesh, along with BIGF, are committed to developing advanced multilingual AI systems, particularly focusing on the Bangla language.

These initiatives are designed to foster local innovation, empower communities, and ensure that AI technologies effectively address the unique linguistic and cultural needs of Bangladesh.

A Multilingual Nation at the Heart of Digital Transformation

Bangladesh is home to over 170 million people, with Bengali (Bangla) spoken by 98% of the population, making it the world’s seventh most spoken language. Beyond Bengali, Bangladesh has 44 indigenous languages, including Chakma, Marma, Garo, Santali, Rohingya, Manipuri, and others. Many of these are low-resource languages underrepresented in digital systems. Preserving and empowering these languages is critical to ensuring that AI-driven digital transformation is inclusive, equitable, and culturally grounded.

Driving Bangladesh’s AI for Development Agenda

The partnership aims to:

•⁠  ⁠Build open and locally relevant datasets for advancing AI in Bangladesh.

•⁠  ⁠Empower students and faculty at different Universities in Bangladesh through research and capacity-building programs.

•⁠  ⁠Develop multilingual AI systems that support Bengali and indigenous languages.

•⁠  ⁠Explore policy frameworks aligned with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Leveraging SLMs, On-Device AI, and Edge AI

Unlike high-resource economies, countries like Bangladesh face infrastructure and resource limitations. To overcome these challenges, LingoAI and BIGF will focus on:

•⁠  ⁠Small Language Models (SLMs): Efficient AI models tailored for multilingual environments, capable of running with lower computational requirements.

•⁠  ⁠On-Device AI & Edge AI: Deploying AI directly on smartphones, wearables, and local devices, reducing dependency on cloud infrastructure while protecting data sovereignty.

•⁠  ⁠Real Web3.0 Integration: Combining decentralized data protocols with AI to empower citizens with ownership of their data and digital identity.

This approach aligns with the belief that Edge AI and real Web3.0 will be first massively adopted in developing countries like Bangladesh, enabling economic leapfrogging, reducing dependency on foreign cloud providers, and creating locally-driven innovation ecosystems.

Voices from United Nations and the Partners

Amandeep Gill, UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology (from recent FT commentary):

“As AI becomes woven into development cooperation, we must learn from past aid models, avoid new dependencies, and protect the agency of countries and communities over their digital futures.”

Una Wang, CEO of LingoAI, said:

“Bangladesh’s multilingual reality reflects the very mission of LingoAI to ensure that no language, culture, or community is left behind in the AI era. By bringing Small Language Models, Edge AI, and Web3.0 to Bangladesh, we aim to empower its people with AI that is local, inclusive, and sustainable.”

Mr. Mohammad Abdul Haque Anu , Secretary General of BIGF, stated:

“This collaboration represents a milestone for Bangladesh. Together with LingoAI and different universities, we will build AI systems that serve our people, strengthen digital sovereignty, and support inclusive economic growth.”