{"id":24634,"date":"2025-06-11T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-11T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/technological-ambitions-in-environmental-hell\/"},"modified":"2025-06-11T15:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-06-11T12:00:00","slug":"technological-ambitions-in-environmental-hell","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/technological-ambitions-in-environmental-hell\/","title":{"rendered":"Technological ambitions in environmental hell"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Bangladesh is among the world\u2019s most densely populated countries, and its environmental situation is dire. As officials in Dhaka tout digitisation and AI, outside are poisoned rivers, stripped forests and pervasive poverty.<\/p>\n<p>ForkLog examines how the country is trying to reconcile its push for innovation with a deepening ecological crisis.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/share.transistor.fm\/e\/c76ac48d\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A country of contrasts<\/h2>\n<p>On the one hand, Bangladesh is a global centre of garment manufacturing. According to the <span data-descr=\"International Monetary Fund\" class=\"old_tooltip\">IMF<\/span> for 2025, the country\u2019s GDP exceeded $467bn.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh7-qw.googleusercontent.com\/docsz\/AD_4nXdvNzi2rC2lrQv4VhIAADXeil0y2Xx4h4B-EIHBO-sb5o4N0aIDgHOCGog71oFO2tLMtRZ8TBbhrxdy5D_QViwfFPVbFHEMyvNj7RfHopZmHa6y9kPygrZo0S8kRfTRJvgDxpDdtg?key=Z20pFGncWsnclqbynywEdw\" alt=\"\u0422\u0435\u0445\u043d\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0433\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0435 \u0430\u043c\u0431\u0438\u0446\u0438\u0438 \u0432 \u044d\u043a\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0433\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u043e\u043c \u0430\u0434\u0443\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Data: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imf.org\/external\/datamapper\/NGDPD@WEO\/OEMDC\/ADVEC\/WEOWORLD\/BGD\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">IMF<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>On the other hand, the average monthly salary, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, <a href=\"https:\/\/bbs.portal.gov.bd\/sites\/default\/files\/files\/bbs.portal.gov.bd\/page\/c885f359_ef11_4abe_95f6_021865be3401\/2025-03-17-13-46-d852531e09b5774adf71c859d71ebd7c.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">varies<\/a> around <span data-descr=\"$204\u2013245 at the time of publication\" class=\"old_tooltip\">25,000\u201330,000 taka<\/span>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Against this backdrop, talk of blockchain and artificial intelligence can seem surreal. Yet the conversation is active.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Between prohibition and experiments<\/h2>\n<p>The authorities\u2019 official stance on cryptocurrencies remains unequivocal and harsh\u2014an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dhakatribune.com\/business\/banks\/133954\/central-bank-issues-notice-banning-bitcoin-in\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">outright ban<\/a>. All operations with digital assets fall under the \u201cForeign Exchange Regulation Act\u201d and the \u201cAnti-Terrorism Act\u201d. Violators face lengthy prison terms.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>At the same time, in December 2022 Bangladesh Bank <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bangladesh-bank.org\/introduction-central-bank-digital-currency-cbdc-bangladesh-potential-impact-online-gambling\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">announced<\/a> plans to launch a CBDC\u2014a digital taka. The first pilot transactions with the asset were conducted in January 2024.<\/p>\n<p>As so often, a formal ban does not mean the absence of a market. Its main drivers are the shadow economy and the overseas Bangladeshi diaspora. For migrants sending money home, cryptocurrencies offer a way to bypass the high fees of traditional remittance systems.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It is a scenario familiar to many countries, including in the post-Soviet space. De facto, a parallel financial system operates\u2014uncontrolled by the state yet tacitly acknowledged.<\/p>\n<p>According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.triple-a.io\/cryptocurrency-ownership-data\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Triple-A<\/a>, about 2.55% of Bangladesh\u2019s population owns cryptoassets\u2014roughly 180,000 people. By comparison, in neighbouring India the figure reaches 6.55%.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bold pledges, scant results<\/h2>\n<p>In 2020 the government presented a <a href=\"https:\/\/bcc.portal.gov.bd\/sites\/default\/files\/files\/bcc.portal.gov.bd\/page\/bdb0a706_e674_4a40_a8a8_7cfccf7e9d9b\/2020-10-19-15-03-391a6d9d1eb062836b440256cee34935.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">National Blockchain Strategy<\/a> to introduce distributed-ledger technology into public services by 2025. The plan envisaged digitising the land cadastre, electronic voting and transparent supply chains.<\/p>\n<p>Five years on, tangible results are lacking: documents have been adopted, but real implementation is stalling. Meanwhile, the authorities are promoting the <a href=\"https:\/\/emrd.portal.gov.bd\/sites\/default\/files\/files\/emrd.portal.gov.bd\/page\/b280d648_d20e_4021_b949_6fc5e25a7e9a\/SMARTBangladeshVision2041ConceptofaSustainableDevelopedCountry.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Smart Bangladesh Vision 2041<\/a>. The initiative comes from the Awami League, led by former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The goal is to turn the country into a technologically advanced nation, built on four pillars: \u201csmart citizens\u201d, \u201csmart government\u201d, \u201csmart economy\u201d and \u201csmart society\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>The question is who truly benefits from these projects. When external players supply \u201csmart city\u201d technologies in exchange for access to data and the market, and local elites secure state contracts, does life improve for an ordinary farmer or seamstress? Or is this merely a new, high-tech way to reallocate resources to a narrow group?<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who is driving digitisation<\/h2>\n<p>The state plays a pivotal role in technological development. The country is pursuing the \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/btri.portal.gov.bd\/sites\/default\/files\/files\/btri.portal.gov.bd\/page\/a556434c_e9c9_4269_9f4e_df75d712604d\/Digital%20Bangladesh%20Concept%20Note_Final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Digital Bangladesh<\/a>\u201d initiative, building tech parks\u2014such as the Hi-Tech Park in Kaliakair\u2014developing e-government and digital citizen services.<\/p>\n<p>The private sector also matters. Local IT firms such as Grameenphone (the largest mobile operator), bKash (a leader in mobile financial services) and numerous startups are actively rolling out innovations.<\/p>\n<p>International organisations and donor agencies play a key role in Bangladesh\u2019s technological development. The World Bank <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldbank.org\/en\/news\/feature\/2023\/03\/13\/toward-a-digital-bangladesh-enabling-remote-supervision-with-on-the-ground-insights\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">finances<\/a> projects to develop digital infrastructure and e-government. The Asian Development Bank has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adb.org\/where-we-work\/bangladesh\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">provided<\/a> the country with 740 loans, grants and technical-assistance packages totalling $33bn.<\/p>\n<p>Foreign technology companies are present, too. For instance, China\u2019s Huawei <a href=\"https:\/\/thefinancialexpress.com.bd\/national\/huawei-announces-key-initiatives-for-bangladesh\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">is actively involved<\/a> in developing Bangladesh\u2019s telecommunications infrastructure.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Environmental collapse as a backdrop to innovation<\/h2>\n<p>Bangladesh ranks among the ten most polluted countries on the planet. Dhaka regularly tops rankings of cities with the worst air quality.<\/p>\n<p>Causes of the environmental disaster:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>the textile industry <a href=\"https:\/\/wjarr.com\/sites\/default\/files\/WJARR-2024-2909.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">discharges<\/a> an average of 2.5bn litres of wastewater daily;<\/li>\n<li>brick production <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ccacoalition.org\/news\/reducing-air-pollution-and-climate-change-brick-brick\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">is<\/a> a central component of the economy in South Asia, but also a source of greenhouse-gas emissions and air pollution;<\/li>\n<li>since 1930, <a href=\"https:\/\/thefinancialexpress.com.bd\/views\/industries-driving-deforestation-what-innovative-businesses-can-do\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">75% of forests have been cut<\/a>;<\/li>\n<li>the Buriganga and Shitalakkhya rivers <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S2352485525002774\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">are deemed<\/a> biologically dead.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The causes are not natural disasters but human action: unregulated industrialisation, driven by global demand for cheap clothing, compounded by corruption, the non-enforcement of environmental rules and immense demographic pressure.<\/p>\n<p>Streetwear brands are the chief beneficiaries. Fast-fashion firms such as H&#038;M, Zara and GAP have built their models on producing garments at minimal cost.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The leading textile manufacturers in Bangladesh <a href=\"https:\/\/modaknits.com\/who-is-the-largest-clothing-manufacturer-in-bangladesh\/\">are<\/a> Ha-Meem Group, Beximco Textiles and Square Fashions Ltd. The country ranks second by apparel exports\u2014shipping $46.2bn worth of garments in 2024.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh7-qw.googleusercontent.com\/docsz\/AD_4nXfKA1Olkv4-PjCulSewkbqaeLbmWQCjfceag7nuu9Rk7TpodFZA7fvxeuI_AtNBAKbsLF7fj9AAkwdnvgP5bfStH_BnDnrBPbiVuYot8V29zojujZK-XOoCuOremZggxEPCTxNT?key=Z20pFGncWsnclqbynywEdw\" alt=\"\u0422\u0435\u0445\u043d\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0433\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0435 \u0430\u043c\u0431\u0438\u0446\u0438\u0438 \u0432 \u044d\u043a\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0433\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u043e\u043c \u0430\u0434\u0443\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Data: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.royaleuropetextile.com\/top-10-textile-manufacturing-countries-in-the-world-fy-2024-update\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Royal Europe Textile<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This raises a fundamental question about technological intent. Can advanced technology be rolled out while basic problems are ignored? Or is it a distraction? There is a risk that building data centres in such conditions will only worsen matters, increasing the strain on an already fragile ecosystem.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is there a window of opportunity?<\/h2>\n<p>The issue is not the technologies themselves but the purposes they serve. A pragmatic, environmentally minded approach\u2014without Luddism\u2014may offer a way forward.<\/p>\n<p>In theory, technology could deliver significant benefits. AI can track river pollution in real time, while drones and satellite imagery can uncover illegal logging.<\/p>\n<p>But for that to happen, initiatives must come not only from government or corporations. There needs to be demand from civil society and from small and medium-sized businesses.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>For now, Smart Bangladesh risks remaining on paper, as many such visions have elsewhere. And if implemented, it may serve not the people of Bangladesh but those who see the country merely as a source of cheap labour and a new market.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bangladesh is among the world\u2019s most densely populated countries, and its environmental situation is dire. As officials in Dhaka tout digitisation and AI, outside are poisoned rivers, stripped forests and pervasive poverty. ForkLog examines how the country is trying to reconcile its push for innovation with a deepening ecological crisis. A country of contrasts On [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24633,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"select":"","news_style_id":"","cryptorium_level":"","_short_excerpt_text":"","creation_source":"","_metatest_mainpost_news_update":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1144],"tags":[871,1259,1815],"class_list":["post-24634","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-longreads","tag-asia","tag-ecology","tag-global-south"],"aioseo_notices":[],"amp_enabled":true,"views":"45","promo_type":"","layout_type":"","short_excerpt":"","is_update":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24634","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24634"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24634\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24633"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24634"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24634"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24634"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}