[🇧🇩] Semiconductor Industry in Bangladesh

[Bilal9]

Why not develop chips? this is the reason why...

He revealed that AMD recently explored establishing operations in Bangladesh and expressed interest in recruiting about 500 engineers.

‘We couldn’t even provide 50 qualified engineers,’ he said.

Power reliability remains another critical concern, he added.

 

[Saif]

Why not develop chips? this is the reason why...

Why are there no qualified engineers? Aren't our Engineering Universities producing engineers?

 

[Saif]

Here - we are not talking about chip foundries - which is outside the realm of reality for a nation like Bangladesh.

However chip design is very much a profitable activity and is being pursued very actively by local firms like ULKA SEMI.

How many firms are there in Bangladesh which are engaged in chip designing?

 

[Bilal9]

How many firms are there in Bangladesh which are engaged in chip designing?

Oh I'd venture a guess, about a half dozen.

The expertise is highly specialized and not as commonly found on our shores as it is in (say) the US or Western countries. People from Bangladesh (new engineers from BUET etc.) have to be trained in the skillsets. This training and skill cannot be gained in short order - will take decades. But it is doable.

Most of the companies are founded by ex-Silicon Valley Bangladeshi folks. Ulka Semi is one of the frontrunners.

The type of CAD software used in semiconductor chip design is called electronic design automation (EDA) tools, which include schematic capture, layout design, simulation, and verification functions. Examples include,

1. IBM's Automated Logic Diagram,
2. Calma's GDSII, and
3. Synopsys RedHawk-SC and Ansys products for power integrity and Multiphysics analysis.

Ulka Semi says it uses EDA tools in its chip design services, but it doesn’t publicly name the specific EDA vendors/products it runs.

Ulka Semi states that its engineers utilize "a diverse array of Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools” for IC design, including physical design and optimization for PPA.

For IC design services - it says each engineer is “proficient in most of the latest EDA tools within their area of expertise.”

It also describes work in verification, DFT, foundry design services, and physical design flows (e.g., RTL/netlist to GDS2/handovers), which are typically EDA-tool-dependent.

As you can guess - highly, highly specialized tools.

 

[Bilal9]

Why are there no qualified engineers? Aren't our Engineering Universities producing engineers?

Talented engineers of any talent leave the country and go overseas to pursue higher study and settle overseas, i.e. Canada and Australia nowadays. Who can blame them? The govt. has failed to create a stable environment and stable pay for living at home.

Ditto in India and Pakistan.

 

[Saif]

Talented engineers of any talent leave the country and go overseas to pursue higher study and settle overseas, i.e. Canada and Australia nowadays. Who can blame them? The govt. has failed to create a stable environment and stable pay for living at home.

Ditto in India and Pakistan.

Bangladesh has to formulate policy to stop brain drain. Big companies like BEXIMCO, Walton, Jamuna and Square must play positive role in arresting brain drain.

 

[Saif]

Oh I'd venture a guess, about a half dozen.

The expertise is highly specialized and not as commonly found on our shores as it is in (say) the US or Western countries. People from Bangladesh (new engineers from BUET etc.) have to be trained in the skillsets. This training and skill cannot be gained in short order - will take decades. But it is doable.

Most of the companies are founded by ex-Silicon Valley Bangladeshi folks. Ulka Semi is one of the frontrunners.

The type of CAD software used in semiconductor chip design is called electronic design automation (EDA) tools, which include schematic capture, layout design, simulation, and verification functions. Examples include,

1. IBM's Automated Logic Diagram,
2. Calma's GDSII, and
3. Synopsys RedHawk-SC and Ansys products for power integrity and Multiphysics analysis.

Ulka Semi says it uses EDA tools in its chip design services, but it doesn’t publicly name the specific EDA vendors/products it runs.

Ulka Semi states that its engineers utilize "a diverse array of Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools” for IC design, including physical design and optimization for PPA.

For IC design services - it says each engineer is “proficient in most of the latest EDA tools within their area of expertise.”

It also describes work in verification, DFT, foundry design services, and physical design flows (e.g., RTL/netlist to GDS2/handovers), which are typically EDA-tool-dependent.

As you can guess - highly, highly specialized tools.

Bangladesh government must give policy and financial supports so that semiconductor industry can flourish within the country. GoB should ask for help in technology transfer from China

 

[Bilal9]

Bangladesh government must give policy and financial supports so that semiconductor industry can flourish within the country. GoB should ask for help in technology transfer from China

You are correct, there is ample scope of employing talented engineering graduates from Bangladesh who can remotely work with Chinese industry, but language will be a barrier.