Bangladesh is going through a major digital transformation. Banking, governance, and many other sectors are becoming digital. The education sector is no exception.
The real question is not whether to digitalize education, but how to do it in a strategic, systematic, and inclusive way.
The boom is already here
Across urban Bangladesh, education is changing quickly. Online learning platforms are expanding. Coaching centres are installing smartboards, building recording studios, and delivering live classes.
Edtech companies such as 10 Minute School, Shikho, ACS, Fahad Tutorial, HulkenStein, School of Excellency, i-education, and Ostad are reaching millions of learners.
As the CEO of a leading edtech company, I see this transformation firsthand every day. The demand for digital learning is real. Students are comfortable learning from screens. Parents are actively seeking online academic support.
This growth is exciting. However, it also creates a serious risk: The digital divide.
While cities move forward, many rural students still lack devices, stable internet, and qualified teachers. The National Education Policy clearly states that no one should be left out. This is not only a policy commitment but a moral responsibility.
The core problem: A rural teacher crisis
The biggest challenge in rural Bangladesh is the shortage of qualified, subject-specific teachers. The teacher-student ratio in rural areas is around 40:1, much higher than the global average of 24:1.
Teachers in mathematics, science, and English are especially scarce. This shortage is not only slow learning. It limits students’ long-term academic growth and future opportunities.
The solution: Connecting urban teaching hubs to rural smart classrooms
A blended learning model can help solve this crisis.
The idea is simple: Establish well-equipped urban teaching hubs with smartboards, AI-enabled cameras, and professional live-class systems. These hubs can connect in real time to smart classrooms inside rural schools.
Skilled teachers, including retired educators and freelancers, can teach from these urban hubs and reach multiple rural classrooms simultaneously through live, interactive sessions.
This approach fits the Bangladesh context. Students are already familiar with screen-based learning. The private sector has shown that live studio-based classes work effectively.
Now this proven model should be integrated into the public system so that students who cannot afford private coaching can also benefit.
Bangladesh already has more than 35,000 multimedia classrooms in secondary schools. These can be assessed, upgraded, and connected into a coordinated national network. Live classes should also be recorded and stored so students can watch later if they miss a session.
Lessons from around the world
China’s “One Screen” initiative connects thousands of rural schools with top urban classrooms.
India’s PM eVidya follows a “One Class, One Channel” model through TV and digital platforms.
Nepal has piloted smart classrooms in remote schools.
South Korea’s EDUNET platform connects schools nationwide.
These examples prove that linking urban teaching strength to rural classrooms through technology is scalable and effective.
For areas with poor internet connectivity, solutions like Starlink, a low-earth-orbit satellite internet service, can provide reliable access. This technology is already available and deployable.
Beyond live classes: The digital textbook
Alongside the smart classroom model, we urgently need to modernize how students access learning materials.
The government distributes over 400 million printed textbooks at the beginning of an academic year. This massive operation faces delays, rising costs, and supply chain challenges. In 2025, procurement problems delayed the distribution.
Moreover, these non-interactive, text-heavy books make students rely on rote memorization, which makes learning dull, boring, and non-creative.
An AI-powered digital textbook platform can replace static books with interactive tools. These can include videos, animations, gamified quizzes, real-time AI feedback, and personalized lessons that adapt to each student’s pace.
Offline access ensures that students in low-connectivity areas are not excluded. Countries like South Korea and Japan are feasible examples.
A strategic and systematic approach
Having worked on digital education initiatives with the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, JICA, and UNDP as a consultant across more than a decade, I have seen what works and what does not.
From implementing DVD-based learning materials to tab-based learning systems in rural Bangladesh where there was no or very low technology, to managing high-tech digital project implementation funded by the World Bank, UNDP, USAID, JICA, and ADB, I have learned that an all-encompassing effort is required.
All stakeholders and infrastructure in education must be included in the digitalization process in a planned and coordinated way.
The lesson is consistent: Technology alone does not transform education. Strategy, phasing, and human capacity do.
Digitalization of education in Bangladesh is already underway. The edtech boom is real and fast. The danger is that this transformation could widen inequality between urban and rural students.
But that outcome is not inevitable. With a carefully phased national strategy, Bangladesh can ensure quality education for every student.
Maheen Matin is President, Bangladesh EdTech Consortium and former education technology expert for ADB, JICA, UNDP.
