4IR : Seizing Possibilities for the Future

South East Asian Co-operation (SEACO) Foundation and World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) Foundation has jointly organized the 9^th WIEF Global Discourse keeping the theme of “Seizing the Possibilities for the Future”.

The event has been held at Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden Hotel, Dhaka in Bangladesh on 30^th October. This was the first time that the Flagship Global discourse was held outside of Malaysia and in Bangladesh. The 9th Global Discourse mainly identified the important social, economic, political and environmental trends that will shape the 4IR with viewpoints between academicians, entrepreneurs, industry leaders and experts in related fields, bringing about solutions to current and future challenges.

The significance and Importance of 4th Industrial Revolution for Bangladesh was highlighted by Mr. Salman F. Rahman, Private sector Advisor to the Honourable Prime Minister yesterday at the WIEF-SEACO Roundtable opening session also. The Co-coordinator of this programme Mr. Ashfaq Zaman, cpa highlighted to the media friends that our community need to prepare better for the preparation of integration of the 4IR as well as manage the macro consequences as a result of the change in the dynamics of human capital regarding 4IR, whilst thanking all the stakeholders & delegates for making it a successful event.

The welcoming remarks was given by Prof. Dr M. Anwar Hossain Member, Board of Governors, SEACO Foundation and First Vice Chancellor, Islamic University of Technology (IUT), Dhaka. Tan Sri Dr. Wan Mohd. Zahid on behalf of Hon. Tun Musa Hitam Chairman of WIEF Foundation and Former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia has given greetings and the introductory remarks. Prof. Dr. Shamser Ali, Founder Vice Chancellor of Bangladesh Open University and Founder Vice Chancellor of Southeast University Bangladesh gave the audience a quick glance at the industry revolution explaining through the history and how we reached the 4^th Industry Revolution.

Mahtab Uddin Ahmed, Managing Director and CEO, Robi Axiata Ltd., Bangladesh focused on Robi’s contribution as an organization for the programme on 4th Industrial Revolution and adaptation of new technology to help Bangladesh progress in the 4IR era. The Chief Guest of the event was Prof. Dr. Gowher Rizvi, International Affairs Adviser to the Honorable Prime Minister of Bangladesh who has enlightened the session and started his speech with the challenges of preindustrial era and different aspects of industrial revolution and what it needs to be a human in 4^th Industrial Revolution. He is confident that Bangladesh is in a good place now and we have advanced in digital society at the same time it is a concern if weare promoting conservation and climate change as we are leading towards a better world.

The panelists present were Prof. Dr. M. Shamsher Ali, Founder Vice Chancellor of Bangladesh Open University and Founder Vice Chancellor of Southeast University Bangladesh; Dr. Hasan Shafi, Partner, A.T. Kearney, Inc., Malaysia; Datuk Dr. Mohd Yusoff Sulaiman, President & Chief Executive Officer, Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT), Malaysia; The Hon. FDr. Ar. Siti Rozaimeriyanty DSLJ Haji Abdul Rahman, Director & Principal Architect, Eco Bumi Arkitek and Legislative Council Member, Brunei Darussalam and Mahtab Uddin Ahmed, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Robi Axiata Limited, Bangladesh. The moderator of the event was Syed Tamjidur Rahman, Vice President, Bangladesh Center for Fourth Industrial Revolution (BD4IR), Bangladesh. The event was concluded with vote of thanks by Md. Abdul Karim, Member of BOG- SEACO& former principal secretary.