No scope to fall behind in AI adoption: Milon

Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon on Tuesday said artificial intelligence (AI) saves considerable time but cannot be used in every area, adding that Bangladesh has no scope to fall behind in adopting the technology.
“For example, in recruiting, promoting, evaluating or taking disciplinary action against teachers, it may not be possible to rely solely on automated systems,” he said while speaking at a session titled “Education in the Age of AI” during UNESCO’s Digital Learning Week 2026 in Paris.
He said children in Bangladesh have weaknesses in foundational learning and that their reading, reasoning and verification skills need to be strengthened to safely benefit from AI.
The minister stressed involving teachers in piloting, procurement, evaluation and revision before AI is introduced at any institution.
He said AI’s success should not be judged by user numbers or engagement alone. “Bangladesh must evaluate AI based on learning outcomes, teachers’ workload, equity, safety and cost-effectiveness,” he said.
Ministers and representatives from 25 countries attended the session. UNESCO’s Digital Learning Week 2026 is being held in Paris from 8 to 11 September under the theme “Education in the Age of AI: Facts, Frictions, Frontiers”.