According to 2024 statistics, approximately 45% of the population in Bangladesh uses the internet via mobile phones or computers. The majority of these internet users access newspaper websites, Facebook, and other social media platforms. Additionally, some users read e-commerce sites and a handful of blogs. Outside of these, the number of websites focused on science and technology is very low. I used to believe that there was no Bangladesh-based platform, created by Bangladeshis, and run from Dhaka itself, that contributed to global discourse on international technology policy and guidance. But that misconception was shattered when I discovered the excellent portal “The Waves” at https://www.the-waves.org/. Today, I want to tell you the story of this site. It is a website for online analysis and commentary publication. Calling it just a website would be an understatement, and ‘online magazine’ doesn’t quite do it justice either — that’s why I refer to it as a ‘portal’.
What Does The Waves Do?
In today’s world, technological innovations are bringing about far-reaching changes across all levels of society. Alongside these developments, the complexities and uncertainties around innovation are also growing. By understanding the process of innovation, its challenges, and opportunities, The Waves serves as a unique platform for timely decision-making. The Waves is a platform whose goal is to analyze the dynamics of innovation and support the creation of effective policies and decisions for the greater good of society. Their mission and philosophy are to examine the economic, social, and policy impacts of technological innovations and support the implementation of innovative ideas across various sectors.
The Waves website: https://www.the-waves.org/
Activities of The Waves
The core function of The Waves is to analyze different dimensions of innovation and offer relevant commentary. They gather important information based on research and technological progress from various fields and bring it to their readers. Their analyses not only cover current technology trends and innovations but also examine how these will impact the future. According to The Waves, innovation is the key to a nation’s prosperity, but it is by no means an easy or straightforward path. The world of innovation is extremely risky. New ideas constantly emerge, but so do rising startup failure rates, financial losses, and the downfall of major companies. Yet at the same time, small ventures can one day achieve global success. Analyzing these uncertain paths of innovation is one of The Waves’ main objectives. They provide guidelines on how to support the innovation process and how new ideas can be used profitably. Benefiting from innovation depends not just on good education, infrastructure, or investment, but also on a competitive market, the right strategies, and proper policymaking. Balancing these aspects is a key part of The Waves’ work.
How Does Innovation Impact Society?
While technological progress is making our lives easier, it is also creating a kind of division within society. Innovation is generating new employment opportunities, while at the same time putting pressure on traditional professions. The core strength of innovation lies in ideas. From The Waves’ perspective, innovation through new ideas brings massive transformations to the economy. For example, they highlight the invention of electric vehicles, which has had a tremendous impact on oil-based economies. They further analyze how innovation increases competition in the market and how even large, established companies can face challenges from startups.
Why is The Waves Important?
The process of innovation worldwide is highly dynamic and uncertain. Innovative technologies impact not only developed countries but developing nations as well. The major challenge, however, is that most of the benefits and opportunities from innovation remain concentrated in a handful of advanced economies. This is where The Waves plays a crucial role. They help developing countries enter the innovation race and assist in evaluating and commercializing their ideas.
The Waves believes that ideas and innovation should not be the exclusive assets of rich countries. Instead, they call for a global competition where every nation and organization has equal opportunity to transform society through innovation.
The Story Behind The Waves
The founder of this portal is my former colleague, Professor Dr. Rokonuzzaman. He is currently a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at North South University, where he teaches Engineering Economics and Management. Among the research projects he has led is one focused on investigating the causes of slow growth in Bangladesh’s software and telecom sectors and proposing solutions. Dr. Rokonuzzaman’s work primarily centers on exploring how technological innovation can transform diminishing resources into growing assets.
Through his academic and applied research, he has gained deep insight into how science, technology, economics, entrepreneurship, and public policy can effectively work together. He has led various creative projects, notably developing microcontroller-based educational kits and innovative devices for patient monitoring within easy reach.
In addition to earning a PhD in Robotics and Intelligent Systems from Memorial University of Newfoundland, he has conducted research on space robotics and its applications in the mining industry on Earth. His research, writing, and innovative projects contribute to the advancement of Bangladesh’s technology sector and offer new perspectives on creative entrepreneurship and policy formulation.
What is the Mission and Future of The Waves?
I spoke with founder Professor Dr. Rokonuzzaman about the main mission of The Waves. He explained, “The Waves’ mission is to analyze how ideas are generated, how they are transformed into innovations, and how resources created by innovation can be increased. They research how innovative technologies transform society and what further opportunities may arise in the future. Our goal is to create opportunities for economic development in developing countries through STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) education and research. By evaluating ideas and innovations and applying them in practical ways, they aim to help countries participate in global competition through their own innovation capabilities.”
In Conclusion
The Waves not only analyzes technological innovation but also provides guidance for a prosperous future. Through their in-depth analysis and perspectives on the future of innovation, they explore ways to use technology and innovation more effectively for greater prosperity. The contribution of The Waves is invaluable in ensuring the participation of developing countries in the innovation race. Their work is not just about technological progress, but can also bring significant change in global resource distribution.
As of 2023, Bangladesh’s GDP was approximately $437.42 billion (according to World Bank data). Bangladesh has maintained stable GDP growth, but challenges like inflation and external economic pressures continue to affect its economic situation. The country’s future economic development hinges largely on technological innovation, export diversification, and a skilled workforce. In the coming days, it will be extremely important to focus on increasing remittance flows, boosting productivity in the industrial sector, and advancing in global market competition. Guidance from portals like The Waves is crucial for Bangladesh’s path toward a progressive future. Such portals are especially important for policymakers and those involved in providing strategic directions in Bangladesh.
The Waves is working not just for Bangladesh, but for the whole world. Bangladesh can also benefit from the work The Waves is doing for future global development. And since a Bangladeshi is providing strategic direction in this field, I believe Bangladesh too can leverage his expertise. I commend The Waves for their advocacy of technological innovation, intellectual property preservation, and the necessity of innovation, and I wish continued success to its founder, Professor Rokonuzzaman.
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