Bangladesh’s AI Push Sparks Concerns Over Crime

October 4, 2026

Bangladesh is already confronting the troubling consequences of Artificial Intelligence (AI), with young male school students using AI-generated sexualised images to harass female students.

If developed nations, despite stronger legal frameworks, stricter enforcement mechanisms and higher literacy rates, are struggling to combat the consequences of AI, questions arise over how Bangladesh’s authorities can hope to manage the challenge.

Alarmingly, the trend emerged even before local telecommunication companies made AI platforms accessible for as low as Bangladeshi taka (Tk) 71 per month. With Bangladesh law enforcement already struggling to contain teen gang violence, rising child kidnappings, and increasing abuse of children and women, authorities appear illequipped to tackle the complex and rapidly evolving threat of AI-driven crime.

Recently, two telecommunication companies in Bangladesh launched services that allow people to easily access multiple Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms, including ChatGPT, Claude, DeepSeek, Grok, and Gemini. Even the government is praising the initiatives, stating that ‘the role of AI cannot be overlooked as Bangladesh works towards its ambition of building a trillion-dollar economy by 2034.’

Citing the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics’ Literacy Assessment Survey 2023, Khan said that nearly half of Bangladeshi children aged 7-14 fail to read and comprehend a simple story, while about 40 per cent of adults remain illiterate. So, enabling these people to access a powerful tool like AI is nothing short of absurdity. Generative AI can create textbased disinformation that is indistinguishable from, and more persuasive in swaying people’s opinions than, human-generated content.

Emphasising that Bangladesh cannot afford to ignore AI in the modern era, Khan said the true reality is that the country cannot build a trillion-dollar economy on the fragile foundations of educational vulnerability, rampant digital crime and environmental degradation. She also stressed that corporate profits should not drive policymaking, arguing that the government should have put a robust regulatory framework in place before allowing companies to bring such powerful technologies to the wider population.

The government must enact strict laws governing AI utilisation and restrict access among specific populations to mitigate potential risks. Popular adoption should not dictate our regulatory approach. Before granting the general public unrestricted access to powerful technologies, the government must execute a rigorous cost-benefit analysis. Any final decision must align precisely with our unique economic structure and the cultural dynamics of our citizens.