Stamford University Bangladesh Vice-Chancellor Sharif Nafe As-Saber highlighted the need for human-centered artificial intelligence (AI) and sustainable technology at the joint 2026 IEEE international conferences held in Cox’s Bazar from November 1-3.
The 12th IEEE International Conference on Sustainable Technologies for Engineering (i-COSTE 2026) and the 11th IEEE Asia-Pacific Conference on Computer Science and Data Engineering (CSDE 2026) brought together hundreds of researchers, engineers and data scientists from 35 countries.
Held in a hybrid format at the Best Western Heritage, the conferences were hosted by Bangladesh University of Business and Technology (BUBT) in technical collaboration with the IEEE Bangladesh Section and NPS Australia.
The joint event followed the theme “Sustainable Technology for Humanity and Global Impact.” While i-COSTE 2026 focused on green engineering, renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure, CSDE 2026 covered artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain, quantum computing and big data analytics.
As chief guest at the opening and closing ceremonies, As-Saber called for technology to serve practical purposes and improve human well-being rather than being pursued for its own sake. He advocated a human-centered AI framework that enhances human capabilities, protects dignity and prioritizes people's well-being over corporate automation.
He also stressed the need to develop Bangla-based AI tools and large language models to make the technology accessible to the wider population and help bridge the digital divide.
As-Saber urged Bangladesh to assess its readiness for AI and identify priority areas for its adoption, taking into account operational risks and environmental costs.
Highlighting the energy and water consumption associated with data centers, he proposed exploring underwater data storage solutions. He said Bangladesh's strategic location beside the Bay of Bengal could offer an opportunity to develop marine-cooled, energy-efficient data infrastructure.
He also called for AI education and training frameworks to be aligned with public policy, ethics, indigenous skills and local conditions.
BUBT Vice-Chancellor A B M Shawkat Ali chaired both the opening and closing ceremonies.
In his concluding remarks, As-Saber urged researchers, academics and businesses to develop cost-effective and sustainable technologies, including human-centered AI, for the benefit of the wider population.
