Tech
Startup Bangladesh invests in SWAP
Published
3 years agoon

SWAP, Bangladesh’s first re-commerce platform raises 5 crore BDT in Pre-Series
Startup Bangladesh Limited, the flagship venture capital company of the ICT Division,
decided to invest in SWAP, the first ever re-commerce platform in Bangladesh. Swap
works by offering customers both convenience and safety when selling a product
along with ensuring an environment-friendly way to discard e-waste. The platform
enables many low-income households to purchase, sell and exchange products –
increasing economic participation and access-to-technology in an emerging market
such as Bangladesh.
An agreement was signed recently between the organizations in Dhaka to invest 5
crore BDT in Pre-Series A round.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Khandker Anwarul Islam, Cabinet
Secretary, Cabinet Division. Startup Bangladesh Chairman & Senior secretary of ICT
division Mr. N M Zeaul Alam PAA, Managing Director Sami Ahmed, Head of Portfolio
Investment Hasan A. Arif and Parvez Hossain, CEO and Tonmoy Shaha, COO of SWAP
and other stakeholders were present on the occasion.
Since starting in 2020, SWAP has generated more than USD $43M in Gross
Merchandise Value (GMV), with a current monthly GMV of over USD $2.5M. SWAP has
served over 80,000 customers till date and has also helped to reduce 3650 Metric ton
of carbon emission and saved more than 386 metric ton of e-waste as part of the
commitment to reduce carbon footprint and contribute to an environmentally
sustainable ecommerce industry in emerging markets.
Startup Bangladesh Limited is the flagship venture capital fund of ICT Division. Under
the visionary guidance of Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Startup Bangladesh the first and only venture capital fund sponsored by the government of the people’s
republic of Bangladesh started its journey on March 2020 with an allocated capital of
BDT 500 crore. In this effort to enable the nation to innovate faster, Startup Bangladesh has decided to invest 5 crore BDT in SWAP after recognizing the potential of this re-
commerce pioneer.
On the occasion Mr. Zunaid Ahmed Palak, State Minister for ICT Division said,
“Bangladesh has become a fertile land for startups and innovation, which is
transforming the startup ecosystem. The Government is a strong believer of innovation
and technology, and we believe Startups are the change-makers and Impact creators
in society. To support these innovative Startups, Government has established Startup
Bangladesh venture Capital company. Startup Bangladesh’s role in supporting startup
ecosystem through investments in technology startups is vital towards building Smart
Bangladesh. I hope Swap will make remarkable impact in the industry with this
investment.”
“The work that SWAP is doing in the re-commerce industry is highly commendable
and the investment from Startup Bangladesh Ltd on SWAP will help it to be the leader
of the industry. I hope that they will be able to make a deep impact in Smart
Bangladesh implementation as a Startup. The ICT Division is working diligently in
changing policies that assist the emerging and growing startups in many aspects,
whether it is policy level, training, development etc.” mentioned NM Zeaul Alam PAA,
Senior Secretary, ICT Division and Chairman Startup Bangladesh Ltd.
“Startup Bangladesh aims to support homegrown startups to grow and reach heights
that generate higher standards for more Foreign Investment. The local startup
ecosystem is greatly influenced by prospective ventures like SWAP, With the right
strategy and focus, SWAP will be able to make remarkable example as successful and
sustainable startup in the ecosystem”, said Sami Ahmed, Managing Director, Startup
Bangladesh Limited.
“We believe that SWAP provides a solution that the Bangladesh market greatly needs.
By building an ecosystem for pre-owned goods, we are providing our country’s low
and middle income households access to technology at an affordable price while
encouraging the circular economy mandate. By reusing and increasing the lifespan of
electronics devices & light vehicles, we can also ease the pressure on import of such
goods, easing the stress on our dollar reserve.” said SWAP CEO and Co-founder, Parvez
Hossain.
Startup Bangladesh in its effort to build a vibrant startup ecosystem that nurtures
digitalization, has been investing in most promising and impactful startups in
Bangladesh and has continued that tradition by investing in SWAP. With the
investment in SWAP Startup Bangladesh has invested in 18 companies with more than
50 crore BDT to date.
Tech
Pre-Orders Open for Mojahidul Islam’s Latest Computer Book ‘AI Shikhun, Taka Gunun’
Published
1 month agoon
September 12, 2025
Technology writer and journalist Mojahidul Islam Dheow is set to release his new book, “AI Sikhun, Taka Gunun.”
Online pre-orders have already started, and the book is being published by Systech Publications.
In today’s digital age, we stand at a turning point—where simple keystrokes can turn into dollars, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming humanity’s newest coworker.
This book acts as a bridge, connecting learning with earning and blending investigative journalism with awareness-raising for general readers. The book is structured into three parts.
The first section is designed as an earning guide for young people. It explains how AI content prompts can create opportunities in the freelancing market and how small ideas can grow into significant income streams.
The second section serves as a hands-on investigative handbook for journalists, offering practical tips on using AI tools for data mining, verifying sources, and ensuring cybersecurity.
The third section is aimed at general readers. It presents the opportunities and risks of AI in simple language while also teaching methods for spotting deepfakes and identifying fake news.
Mojahidul Islam Dheow, a Computer Science graduate, has been writing and publishing technology-related books since 2003, with more than a dozen titles to his name.
His book “Web Database Application: MySQL–PHP” was the first Bangla-language book on website database and application development, earning him the Best Author Award in 2021. Dheow’s writing style is lively and accessible—sometimes deeply technical, sometimes witty and lighthearted. His words make readers feel as though they are casually learning new hacks while chatting with a friend.
This book is equally valuable for three key audiences: those who want to start freelancing but don’t know how to begin, journalists eager to learn the magic of AI-powered data tools, and everyday readers curious about how AI is reshaping our daily lives.
All in all, “AI Sikhun, Taka Gunun” is not just another book—it is a complete roadmap for surviving and thriving in the age of AI.
According to the author, the book will help readers discover numerous exciting ways to earn with AI. These include offering writing services with AI content tools, managing brands and social media accounts, providing AI-powered SEO services, creating and selling custom GPTs, producing AI-generated art and images, affiliate marketing, optimizing paid advertising, offering translation and localization services, developing and selling AI-powered digital products, teaching and hosting online courses, building websites and running email marketing campaigns, creating AI chatbots for businesses, developing mobile apps, automating lead generation, managing and analyzing data, and even producing AI-powered YouTube content.
The printed price is 400 Taka. If pre-ordered, the book can be purchased at a 20% discount for 320 Taka at https://www.rokomari.com/book/504542/ai-shikhun-taka-gunun.
Tech
A10 Networks Expands its Cybersecurity Portfolio with Acquisition of ThreatX Protect
Published
7 months agoon
March 13, 2025
ThreatX Protect Addresses Critical Need to Protect Against Evolving Application and API Security Threats
To continue to help customers address the rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape, A10 Networks has acquired the assets and key personnel of ThreatX Protect expanding its cybersecurity portfolio with web application and API protection (WAAP). The acquisition is expected to be modestly accretive to A10’s earnings per share in 2025 and has closed.
Attacks against web applications and application programming interfaces (APIs) are on the rise and are a significant threat to enterprises. ThreatX Protect provides a unique WAAP solution using behavioral and risk profiling to help protect enterprises from evolving threats, including threats to AI applications, which can complement an AI firewall. Delivered as a software-as-a service solution, ThreatX Protect includes API protection, bot management and next-generation web application firewall.
“Expanding the A10 Defend security portfolio with ThreatX Protect gives our customers an additional tool in their strategy to protect against new and evolving threats,” said Dhrupad Trivedi, president and CEO, A10 Networks. “Our strategic focus is on helping enterprises secure their applications and networks from the growing number of threats today, as well as protecting the emerging AI use cases of the future. Adding WAAP to our solution set gives customers additional capabilities to help establish a strong security posture.”
“We are thrilled that A10 Networks has acquired certain assets of ThreatX, including the brand and the TX Protect WAAP solution to expand A10’s security portfolio,” said Gene Fay, CEO of ThreatX. “A10 has been a fantastic partner throughout this process, and we are confident that our customers and employees will thrive under their leadership.”
As a result of this transition, the remaining assets of ThreatX will be launched as Run Security with TX Prevent, the cutting-edge eBPF-based solution re-launched as RS Prevent.
ThreatX Protect supports A10’s strategy of helping customers deploy A10 security solutions in a hybrid approach to protect apps and APIs running anywhere – public cloud, private cloud, co- location facilities or on-premises. The A10 Defend portfolio of solutions provides DDoS protection, DDoS threat intelligence and web application, and now adds a full-featured WAAP solution all integrated into a single platform with end-to-end delivery and stronger security for mission-critical applications.
Specific terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The acquisition is consistent with A10’s stated strategy of expanding the Company’s security portfolio to grow in the enterprise market. The acquisition does not represent a material change to the Company’s 2025 financial outlook or long-term business model.
Tech
Empowering Youth and Transforming Lives: The Impact of ICT Pioneers in Bangladesh’s Digital Future
Published
10 months agoon
December 11, 2024
By Hamidur Rahman:
In Bangladesh, where unemployment often feels like a lingering shadow, a growing number of young people are chasing independence through the world of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Some carve their paths in freelancing, while others, armed with self-learning and sheer determination, rise from humble beginnings to build thriving careers.
One such story belongs to Samiul Islam of Mollapara village in Atgaon Union, Bochaganj Upazila, Dinajpur. Once a laborer at a small broiler chicken farm, Samiul barely scraped by on his modest earnings. Yet, with nothing more than an Android phone and a desktop bought on installment, he set out to change his life. Seven years later, he’s earning between 400,000 and 500,000 BDT each month, now the proud founder of RezCode BD — his own freelancing and IT training company.
Looking back, Samiul recalls 2017 as the turning point. “I worked at a poultry farm for only 6,000 taka a month. It wasn’t enough to support my family,” he said. That same year, on November 20, fate intervened.
In June 2017, Md. Mojahidul Islam — a pioneer of ICT journalism and digital education in Bangladesh — hosted a life-changing seminar in Dinajpur, 413 kilometers from Dhaka. The event brought together students, job seekers, and aspiring freelancers in a lively, interactive environment. From platforms like Upwork and Fiverr to skills such as graphic design, web development, and digital marketing, Mojahidul provided a practical roadmap to success. He shared tips on client communication, project management, and financial planning — and it was all completely free, ensuring no one was left behind.
For Samiul, the seminar and Mojahidul’s book Sombhabonamy Freelance Outsourcing: Internete Ghore Boshei Ay lit the spark. “It answered everything — what freelancing is, who can do it, what jobs are out there, how to get paid,” he said. The book also introduced him to platforms like Guru, Get a Freelancer, Rent a Coder, oDesk, and Elance. Nights after long shifts at the poultry farm, Samiul dove into YouTube tutorials, determined to build an online career.
In 2018, he moved to Dhaka for a textile mill job and used his wages to enroll in a web development course. But another obstacle appeared — he had no computer. His father took a loan from an NGO so Samiul could buy one. “That’s when my freelancing journey truly began,” he said.
His first job came that year on Fiverr — a $5 project. “I gave it my all and got a five-star review. After that, there was no turning back.” Today, alongside his earnings, Samiul runs RezCode BD to train others. “We provide 24/7 support so learners can gain confidence and learn client communication. Sometimes I even attend meetings for them,” he said. Four of his students now earn over 100,000 taka monthly. His goal? “I want to empower youth across Dinajpur — and eventually the whole country — with digital skills, and create jobs for at least 100 people.”
Samiul’s journey is one wave in a much larger tide of change — a movement that traces back to Mojahidul Islam’s decades-long mission. Long before Bangladesh’s ICT boom, Mojahidul recognized the power of digital literacy. Known affectionately as “Dheow,” he began IT journalism in 2000, writing for The New Nation, Ajker Kagoj, Computer Barta, and E-Biz, eventually becoming ICT Editor at The Daily Ittefaq in 2006.
In 2003, when computers were rare and the internet a luxury, he published the first Bengali-language books on essential ICT skills for unemployed youth. These covered everything from basic computer use and office applications to internet browsing, email, graphic design, and online safety. His accessible style brought technology into homes across villages, hills, and river islands — where English manuals and instructors were scarce.
Mojahidul’s works, including Practical Networking Handbook, Swapner Career, 7 Dine Web Design, Mastering E-Commerce, Mobile Phone Khutinati, and Freelance Outsourcing Possibilities, became lifelines for learners. Thanks to his guidance, hundreds of thousands of people opened their first email accounts, printed their first documents, or landed their first freelance job. Government agencies like the Department of Youth Development and BANBEIS incorporated his books into nationwide ICT training programs.
His impact is staggering — over 2.3 million students have gained ICT skills from his books, around 2 million learned email and office tools, 500,000 began accessing e-services, and at least 18,000 started freelance careers earning foreign currency. His influence extends beyond Bangladesh, reaching West Bengal and other Bengali-speaking regions.
Beyond authorship, Mojahidul has held key roles, serving as General Secretary of the Bangladesh ICT Journalists Forum in 2007 and later as President in 2019. He is a lifetime member of the Bangladesh Computer Society, active in the Internet Society, and involved in multiple journalist organizations. His professional training spans finance journalism in London, internet resource management, AI, cybersecurity, and data-driven reporting.
Recognized with awards including the Prominent ICT Journalist Award (2022), Digital Bangladesh Award (2022), IT Journalist of the Year (2022), and Best Author (2021), Mojahidul has judged competitions such as the CTIA Emerging Technology Awards in the US and spoken at events like NASA’s Space Apps Challenge.
For him, technology is not just a tool but a gateway to independence. His mission remains clear — to equip the youth of Bangladesh with the skills to thrive in a digital world. And as Samiul Islam’s story proves, a single seminar, a single book, or a single mentor can change the course of a life forever.

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