IIT Sri Lanka officially launched its Dhaka office at a ceremony held in Gulshan on 17 August 2026, marking a significant step towards strengthening educational collaboration between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by distinguished academics and education professionals, including Professor H M Jahirul Haque, Vice-Chancellor (Designated) of the Canadian University of Bangladesh (CUB) and International Strategy Adviser of IIT; Professor Yusuf Mahbubul Islam, Vice-Chancellor of Southeast University; and Professor Humaun Kabir, former Vice-Chancellor of Prime University.
Representatives from leading English-medium schools were also present at the event. Among the distinguished guests were Md. Jahanger, Founder Principal of Legend International School; Md. Shahriar Parvez, Founder of Legend International School; Sifat Laila, Principal of Lighthouse International School; Azman Anju Khan Chowdhury, Principal of Salvation International School; Manesh Adhikari, Head of Marketing, Asia Post; and A. S. M. G. Faruk, Registrar (In-charge) of CUB.
The event also featured a virtual address by Mr. Mohan Fernando, Group CEO of IIT Sri Lanka. In his remarks, he highlighted the potential for Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi educational institutions to collaborate at both secondary and tertiary levels. He noted the cultural similarities between the two countries, particularly in food, traditions and social values, and emphasized that these shared connections could provide a strong foundation for mutually beneficial educational cooperation.
Following the inauguration session, a roundtable discussion was held under the leadership of Professor H M Jahirul Haque. The discussion brought together academics, educationists and representatives of English-medium institutions to explore various aspects of Bangladesh’s primary, secondary and tertiary education sectors.
The participants highlighted several challenges and weaknesses within the country’s education system and expressed the need for timely and effective measures to address them. They emphasized that strengthening the quality of education across primary, secondary and higher education is essential for ensuring sustainable national development.
The speakers also stressed that quality education and quality human resource development are fundamental to economic growth and national prosperity. They agreed that without a strong and skilled human resource base, no country can achieve sustainable economic development or long-term economic stability.
The launch of IIT Sri Lanka’s Dhaka office is therefore expected to create new opportunities for collaboration between educational institutions of the two countries, particularly in the areas of academic cooperation, student development and the advancement of quality education.
The event concluded with a shared commitment to exploring greater cooperation between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in education and human resource development.
