The word “digital” is now very familiar in Bangladesh—national ID cards, online services, e-governance, submarine cables—all seem to be parts of the same story. But behind this story are the relentless research, international experience, and quiet labor of people we rarely hear about. Dr. Abdul Awal is one such individual. From a bright student at Rajshahi Cadet College to studying physics in Germany, then pursuing a PhD in laser technology in New York, and later building an exceptional career through years of innovation and technology management at the world-renowned AT&T Bell Laboratories—he finally returned home with the aim of transforming Bangladesh’s governance and service systems through technology.
A recurring theme in conversations with Dr. Awal is—technology itself is no magic; it is a tool for resolving the problems of a state and its people in a faster, more transparent, and fairer way. Wherever he’s been—in the lab, in manufacturing management, in policy-making rooms, or in university classrooms—he’s asked the same question: “How can this knowledge bring real change to the lives of our people?”
From Rajshahi to Germany—Then New York: The Map of an Academic Journey
Dr. Abdul Awal’s academic life began along a familiar route in Bangladesh, but soon became international. After passing his matriculation, he enrolled at Rajshahi Cadet College. After topping in intermediate, he secured a scholarship to study physics in Germany. Four years later, he moved to the United States—where he completed his Master’s and PhD in Physics.
In 1983, he finished his PhD from City University of New York (CUNY), with research focused on laser technology. In simple terms, laser is a type of light that travels in a very straight line, can be extremely powerful, and is used in very precise tasks—like eye surgery in medicine, cutting metal in industry, or carrying data in modern telecommunications via fiber optics. At the same time, he also earned a degree in Electrical Engineering—especially focusing on telecommunications. This dual command of science and engineering later became the strong foundation of his career.
After his PhD, he spent some time at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Brooklyn Polytechnic University. But in 1984, a major turning point came—he joined AT&T Bell Laboratories.
Bell Labs: Where Six Patents a Day—And the “Art” of Bringing Innovation to Market
Bell Labs is a legendary name in the history of global technology. Dr. Awal worked there at multiple levels—not just inside the lab, but spanning manufacturing, technology transfer, and system engineering.
His initial work was with Opto-electronic integrated circuits—where optics (light) and electronics are combined on one chip or circuit. Just as electricity carries information, so too can light transmit data even faster—the core idea of fiber optics. He worked on everything from semiconductor material processing to device fabrication, testing—covering all stages. One result of this work was a patent—particularly about how III-V semiconductors can be integrated with silicon. Simply put: “bread and butter” of modern electronics is silicon; but for many fast, light-based applications, different types of semiconductors are needed. Linking both worlds makes technology even more powerful—that’s the essence of this innovation.
Later he worked on AT&T’s massive telecom infrastructure manufacturing process technologies—how switching systems, transmission systems, etc., are brought into production at scale while maintaining quality. Then, he became involved in technology transfer—where Bell Labs’ research would be implemented across AT&T’s 28 factories worldwide.
He describes the most “educational” aspect as Bell Labs’ innovative culture—where, on average, about six patents were filed every day, amounting to 1,600–1,700 patents a year. But a patent isn’t automatically profitable. Profit comes only when you match research results with market needs—when innovations can be swiftly translated into products and services. Dr. Awal calls this area Technology Management—the skill of weaving together technology, market, and business objectives into one thread.
He explains how he would gather basic and applied research ideas from Bell Labs scientists, while also understanding the future needs of major clients like Verizon or Sprint, then coordinate with the product development group to decide—which innovation would become a product, and which wouldn’t. In his words, translating knowledge into products—and turning that into company profits—that’s technology management.
3G Wireless: Opening the Age of Data, Not Just Voice
Another major chapter of his work at Bell Labs was in Third Generation (3G) Wireless Technology. At the time, 2G was almost over; the voice call market was saturated. The next growth required “data”—where mobile phones become not only devices for calls, but also platforms for Internet, services, and business.
Dr. Awal explains that in technologies like GSM/CDMA, data speed and bandwidth were limited. The goal for 3G and later generations was high bandwidth and fast data services. He worked on how mobile devices could offer a variety of services like landlines, what kind of radio data services would be market-acceptable, and, most importantly, how operators could earn revenue from these. In other words, along with technology, the practical business calculations were also part of his work.
Before Returning to Bangladesh: From Dhaka University to BTTB with Stories of Innovation
Even while working at Bell Labs, Dr. Awal maintained his connection to Bangladesh. He visited home almost every year, presenting the results of Bell Labs’ various research projects and innovations at various Bangladeshi institutions—such as Dhaka University, the Postgraduate Center, BTTB (then the national telecommunication authority), and others. His main goal was to “motivate”—especially those at the policy-making level—to see the potential of technology.
This regular travel eventually brought him face to face with a real problem—a turning point that changed the course of his life.
Submarine Cable: The Story of Avoiding a “9.6 Billion Taka Mistake”
In early 2001, as Bangladesh was moving toward connecting to a submarine cable, the BTTB chairman sought Dr. Awal’s help—a submarine cable deal with Singtel was about to be signed. Examining the draft agreement, Dr. Awal realized that if signed, Bangladesh would be a “big loser.”
The agreement’s structure was: a “point-to-point” connection at a cost of almost 9.6 billion taka—Singtel would do everything, Bangladesh would pay. However, Bangladesh would not gain real control over management, billing systems, or network operations; on top of that, the “onward connectivity” (i.e., the cost of sending data from Singapore to the US, Japan, and other destinations) would also be carried by Bangladesh. Even a significant share of cable ownership would remain with the other party. After he explained this, the BTTB team persuaded the government to cancel the agreement.
Dr. Awal credits this as a blessing from Allah—and is modest about his own role: “Perhaps I was able to help, just a little.”
Returning Home in 2001: Opportunity, Responsibility, and Family Values
After this experience, he returned to Bangladesh for two main reasons: first, the chance to contribute meaningfully at home; second, wanting to raise his children in a Muslim environment. In his words, his children are hafiz of the Qur’an—some in America, some in Bangladesh—and this is part of their family’s way of life.
Optimism About the Submarine Cable—And the Condition: Efficient Management and “Neutral” Operation
The submarine cable was inaugurated on 21 May 2006—Dr. Awal was present himself; he even describes physically showing the cable to the media to help them understand. He outlines the project costs—main project, local expenses, fiber link from Cox’s Bazar through Chittagong to the sea—total expenditures amounting to several hundred crore taka.
But his optimism came with “conditions.” He believes the real value from the submarine cable will come only if it is managed by an internationally experienced operator—who can quickly repair cable cuts, handle international routes and high bandwidth demand, and give all operators equal opportunity in a “neutral” way. He suggests operation responsibilities could be given under a revenue-sharing model (like 5%/6%/10%) to an international operator—ownership remains with the government, but day-to-day management lies in skilled hands.
He also points out the prevailing reality—since international communications are under government control, private operators become distrustful, and so many connections go through alternatives like VoIP or V-SAT, which at the time were not entirely legal. His point is clear: if the government opens up the cable, sectors like call centers, software development, business process outsourcing, and collaborative design can come in quickly—and simply by leasing bandwidth, the government can earn more.
But the problem is mutual mistrust—the government fears revenue loss if handed to the private sector; private operators believe government hands won’t provide efficient management. Dr. Awal thinks if this misunderstanding remains, ICT development will also be stalled.
The “Carrier’s Carrier” Concept: Why 20 Backbone Networks Is Dangerous for a Small Country
He identifies another major telecom market problem—friction between operators. As a result, each operator builds its own backbone network—Grameenphone, BTTB, Citycell/Aktel/Warid/Banglalink—all do it separately. For a small country, so many parallel networks just means higher cost—which eventually falls on ordinary consumers.
He points out a simple but important calculation: if there are 20 operators in the country, making separate agreements with each other would require more than 190 interconnection agreements—complex, contentious, and inefficient to manage. He proposes: a strong international strategic partner could manage backbone interconnection as the “Carrier’s Carrier”; every operator would then only need one agreement—with this operator—reducing backbone complexity, improving service, and lowering costs.
Regulatory Commission: Control Without Knowledge—And the Reality of Salaries
Dr. Awal’s sharpest observation is about the regulatory commission. He was involved in shaping the 2001 telecom policy and the commission itself. In his view, a successful regulator requires deep technical knowledge, spectrum expertise, understanding networks, and creating a fair playground. But if the commissioners lack technical background and sit on low government salaries—they can easily be influenced, and the market becomes chaotic.
He argues that, as in Pakistan, if the government hired foreign-experienced technical professionals at high salaries, it could collect hundreds of crores more in revenue—VAT, tax, spectrum auction, revenue sharing—everything.
This part of his argument contains an important principle: if the state’s “competence” is low, its loss is not only administrative—but also economic.
North South University and the “Proof of Concept” Strategy: Prototyping State Solutions With Students
Back in Bangladesh, he began searching for where his work could have the greatest impact. He acknowledges the role of politics, but argues that the most essential thing is patriotic and honest leadership. Yet he also sees that technology can play a major role in resolving administrative complexity, corruption, identity crises, passport forgery, land litigation, and tax system weaknesses.
He joined North South University. There, he used students’ BSc thesis/final year project as “proof of concept”—that is, demonstrating on a small scale that a solution is feasible, and then presenting it to policymakers.
1) Fingerprint-Based National ID Card
He had students develop a prototype—identity verification via fingerprint. The reasoning is simple: names can be changed, addresses can be changed, even photos can be replaced—but fingerprints are hard to alter. This prevents the creation of “new identities” for a single individual. He demonstrated this to the Home Minister, who became interested; then came committees, foreign visits, national consultants—the project moved forward. Dr. Awal notes that this eventually became a large-scale project; the goal was to bring a vast population under identification, with chip-based data storage.
With such an ID system, it becomes easy to answer the fundamental question who one is dealing with in bank accounts, marriage, passports, border crossings, property transactions—everything.
2) Machine Readable/Digital Passport
With encouragement from the Director General of Passports, he and his students also created a prototype for a Machine Readable Passport—ensuring international standardization and compatibility with the national ID.
3) Land Computerization and GIS
Land-related litigation and fraud have long plagued Bangladesh. He notes that there are 1.5 million cases related to land—ownership, double selling, duplicate deeds—creating huge socio-economic complexity. Here, he and his team ran pilots in three mouzas—Demra, Saturia, and areas in Manikganj—where plot numbers, digital records, and GIS maps (map-based information) were used for identification. Later, the government undertook larger projects—he notes this as well, though also references hurdles in implementation.
4) Tax and VAT: Reducing Hassle, Increasing Transparency
He is blunt about the weakness of tax collection. He observes that a big portion of the budget depends on customs duty; but the database for individual income tax and large taxpayers is weak. He proposes computerizing tax processes to clearly show citizens: “Your income is this, expenses are these, deductions are such, your tax is this”—reducing arguments, hassle, and opportunities for irregularity. He also notes the honesty and enthusiasm of the NBR chairman, but adds that without changing our century-old bureaucratic decision process, progress will remain slow.
5) Police, RAB, and Identity Assurance in Security Systems
He sees that people avoid going to the police—due to bribes, altered records, and identity verification issues. He got students working with police officers to develop a concept for an identity and communication system—where anyone could be identified and data exchanged within 10 seconds—a networked wireless vision. He says, with domestic budget and external assistance, plans have been made to computerize a significant number of police stations.
6) ICT Task Force and Multiple Ministry Prototypes
Under the ICT Task Force led by the Prime Minister, he served as consultant/committee member in developing 25–30 concept prototypes across ministries—interactive websites, billing systems, school databases, RAB networks, and other initiatives.
The key to his approach: he didn’t want to “do everything himself;” rather, he brought together students, officials, development partners—and demonstrated that “it can be done.”
“Outsourcing” and Skilled Manpower: The Tough Reality of E-Governance
Dr. Awal says that running national ID, land management, and tax services requires highly skilled, well-paid technical teams. But it’s hard to retain such people on government pay scales. Therefore, he proposes that the state could outsource some citizen services; citizens would pay a nominal fee, the state would use this fee to hire professional teams who’d work under government authority, but with modern skills. His reasoning—services would be delivered faster, and accountability would increase.
He adds—technology reduces the “power” of many; paper files, the broker system, opportunities from delays—all disappear. So naturally, there is resistance. That’s why simply introducing technology isn’t enough—people must be prepared, computer education increased, and institutional attitudes changed.
The BCS Exam: Dreaming of Reducing “Two and a Half Years” to “Four to Six Months”
A key problem highlighted by Dr. Awal is the prolonged process of the BCS exam. Though 4–5 thousand recruits are made per year, the process drags on; preliminary exam, written, interview, posting—good candidates often leave for other jobs due to long intervals, and there are accusations of political pressure as well.
He proposes a digital, faster process: rapid MCQ, brief written sections, logical/analytical evaluation, OCR, and online results—to finish everything within four to six months. In his opinion, to improve policymaking quality, the recruitment process itself must be made modern—since this administration is the driving force of the country.
“Strategic Problems” of Development Partners and Disconnection Between Three Sectors
He highlights a major structural problem—development partners (World Bank, UNDP, DFID, USAID, etc.) often compete rather than coordinate; and in the absence of a “master plan,” it’s not clear who will handle which segment. This creates chaos in the workflow.
He adds a deeper issue—the lack of coordination between academia, industry, and government. If university talent, industry’s real needs, and government’s power do not work together, transformative change will not happen. He laments signs of waning interest in computer science—citing poor planning and lack of leadership as reasons.
America Again: A Month-Long Trip, but the Goal Is Bangladesh—Building a “Knowledge Bridge”
Towards the end of the interview, Dr. Awal says he’s come to the US for a month during North South’s summer break. The goal is simple: to connect with old colleagues, friends, acquaintances at Bell Labs/AT&T/IBM, and ex-cadet faculty at universities—to build research and project links for Bangladeshi students.
He gives examples—someone working on MIS, someone on next-generation transmission systems, judicial record digitization, or E-911 security systems—if Bangladeshi theses or projects could align with these, students would get real exposure. His goal: to become such a “bridge,” letting knowledge from expatriate Bangladeshis reach the youth at home.
He observes that many Bangladeshi scientists and engineers abroad enjoy seeing their knowledge benefit their homeland. If this sense of joy could be given structure, a large-scale knowledge exchange forum could emerge.
“500 Programmers” vs. “1.8 Million Workers”: The Urgency of Moving Toward a High-Value Economy
At one point in Dr. Awal’s account, he draws a stark comparison—while there’s massive labor in the garments sector, it’s mostly stuck at cutting-making-trimming; the “design” and high-value-added segments are limited. He reasons that, with submarine cable and international connectivity, Bangladesh could enter high-value markets through collaborative design, rapid prototyping, and real-time feedback from New York stores.
He adds: to boost the country’s GDP and make use of talented engineers, we must move to High Value; and that’s impossible without technology. He provides examples—some returnees are working on VLSI testing, connecting with Taiwan, creating value—indicating the direction forward.
His Message to the Youth: Don’t Lose Heart, Understand the Country’s Needs, and “One Person Can Change the World”
In the last part of the interview, Dr. Abdul Awal addresses the youth directly. There are problems in the country—corruption, weak leadership, systemic complexity—but no one should be discouraged by these. He believes that even one person can spark change. Drawing from religious examples, he maintains that nothing is impossible—when Allah wills, the way opens up in unimaginable ways.
He says that becoming rich isn’t the only condition for happiness; but it is essential to lift people from the “sub-poverty” level into a position of basic comfort. And if one can keep oneself in the mindset of “I am here for others, not just myself,” then life becomes more meaningful.
He also keeps the doors of communication open—if young people reach out by phone or email, he will respond in time (himself or through someone else)—in order to help as much as possible.
Final Words: The Lessons of a Life—To Love Your Country Is to Learn the “Language of Solutions”
The story of Dr. Abdul Awal’s life is not merely that of a successful scientist; it is the story of a philosophy—where research and innovation are not just a matter of personal career success, but are viewed as solutions to the state’s problems. From Bell Labs’ daily culture of patents, he learned market realities; and after returning to Bangladesh, he learned administrative complexity and the everyday sufferings of people. Blending these two experiences, he always insists—technology must not just get “the job done,” it must build credibility; not just “systems,” but foster transparency as well.
Today, as Bangladesh looks to its new generation of scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs—Dr. Awal’s path stands as a powerful inspiration: gaining knowledge abroad is honorable, but it becomes a national asset only when it is used for the benefit of the people at home. And the greatest carriers of this dream are the youth of Bangladesh—who, without losing heart, will move forward with the country’s needs at the forefront, making big changes starting from small prototypes.
Interview date: 19 June 2006 (46 minutes)
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