Dhaka: Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today inaugurated the three-day 'Bangladesh Innovation Fair 2026'. He emphasized the importance of transforming locally developed innovations into commercial products and integrating them directly into the market.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the fair is organized by the Ministry of Science and Technology and is being held at Novo Theatre at Bijoy Sarani with the theme 'Innovate to Market'. The event aims to foster sustainable partnerships among local innovators, innovative organizations, policymakers, entrepreneurs, investors, educational institutions, financial institutions, and development partners.
The fair sees participation from government and private research organizations, 73 public and private universities, independent researchers, students, emerging startups, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and global investors. More than 1,000 new and promising innovations in technology, business, education, health, agriculture, environment, and other sectors are being showcased at the event.
The organizers highlighted that many promising technologies and ideas developed at the grassroots level fail to reach the implementation stage due to a lack of policy support, initial funding, and institutional cooperation. Removing such administrative and financial barriers and ensuring intellectual property protection and commercial expansion is the fair's major objective.
On the second day of the fair, a special international session titled 'Healthcare Innovation for All: Expanding Access to Affordable and Inclusive Healthcare' will be held, focusing on technologies for delivering affordable, quality healthcare to marginalized communities. Dr. Zubaida Rahman, the Prime Minister's wife, will attend the session as the chief guest.
Strategic partners of the fair include the National Board of Revenue (NBR), the Department of Patents, Industrial Designs and Trademarks (DPDT), and the Foreign Investors' Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) providing technical support.