Speaking at the inauguration, Commerce Minister Khondkar Abdul Muktadir said AI could help strengthen the government's capacity to analyse trade-related information. “AI can play an important role in analysing import-export data, monitoring market conditions and product demand and prices, and assessing the potential impacts of trade policies,” he said.

He added that greater use of technology could support faster decision-making and improve services for businesses and citizens. However, he stressed that AI adoption must be accompanied by adequate safeguards for data security, privacy, transparency and human oversight.

The initiative comes at a time when officials working on trade policy are required to process growing volumes of information covering import and export trends, World Trade Organization issues, bilateral and regional negotiations, market conditions and technical policy documents.

The training has therefore been designed around the Ministry's day-to-day functions rather than focusing only on the technical aspects of AI.

Participants learned how generative AI can assist with trade research, analysis of government documents, import-export data analysis, preparation of policy briefs and presentations, and the organisation of complex information.

The programme also introduces participants to structured prompting, enabling officials to provide AI systems with clearer instructions, relevant context and appropriate sources to generate more focused analytical outputs.

Owais Parray, Country Economic Advisor at UNDP, said the growing use of emerging technologies was changing the skills required in public administration. “We need to move beyond digital government towards more advanced capabilities. Just as computer literacy became an essential skill, effective public service delivery increasingly requires capabilities in AI, data analytics, automation and cybersecurity,” he said.

A major focus of the training is responsible AI use. Participants are examining risks such as inaccurate information, hallucination and bias, and learning to verify AI-generated content against authoritative sources.

The programme also covers data classification, document sanitisation and the protection of confidential information, particularly when using external AI platforms.

Participants are being encouraged to view AI as a tool to support professional expertise rather than replace human judgment. Officials remain responsible for checking the accuracy, relevance and appropriateness of information used in government work.

The skills are expected to become increasingly important as Bangladesh approaches graduation from Least Developed Country status and navigates a more complex environment for bilateral, regional and multilateral trade.