Dhaka to Silicon Valley: Breaking into Big Tech — A Community-Driven Tech Talk That Brought Global Experience Back Home

A group of Bangladeshi professionals working across leading global technology companies recently came together in Dhaka to host “Dhaka to Silicon Valley: Breaking into Big Tech,” a free, community-led tech talk and networking session that successfully connected aspiring youth with experienced professionals from globally renowned companies.

The event brought together around 100 participants, including university students, high-school students, early-career professionals, and Non-Resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) working abroad who grew up in Dhaka and shared similar roots with the speakers. The atmosphere throughout the session was highly engaging, with active participation, thoughtful questions, and meaningful conversations extending well beyond the formal agenda.

The session featured a panel of Bangladeshi engineers and product leaders currently working at global technology companies:

Zunayed Siddiqui — Senior Software Engineer at DoorDash, formerly at Meta (Facebook)

Nadir Afridi — Embedded Engineer at Apple, former Tesla InternNehreen Siddiqui — Customer Success Manager, formerly at Stripe, TikTok, and Julius AI

Taus Noor — Engineering Leader at DoorDash, former Amazon and NVIDIA engineer, Forbes 30 Under 30

Nehreen Siddiqui — Customer Success Manager, formerly at Stripe, TikTok, and Julius AI

Sharfuz Sifat — Product Manager at ChargePoint

The initiative was conceptualized and led by Zunayed Siddiqui, a senior software engineer currently working at DoorDash and formerly at Meta (Facebook), who has been a long-time advocate for connecting people and building community through knowledge-sharing.

Siddiqui has previously led similar initiatives in San Francisco, including founding Bay Area Bangladeshi Youth (BABY) — a community platform that brought together young Bangladeshi professionals and students across the Bay Area in California.

He was joined by Ahmed Mohtasim Zaber, AVP & ARM, Global Network Banking at HSBC Bangladesh, who supported the event as a co-host. Organizers expressed hope to continue hosting more such community-driven events in the future.

What made the event particularly impactful was its focus on first-hand, relatable experiences — professionals who once stood in the same position as many attendees, having grown up in Dhaka, and who later navigated their way into globally recognized technology companies. For many participants, the opportunity to directly interact, ask questions, and network with speakers who had walked similar paths was both inspiring and empowering.

The event also created meaningful connections between young, talented individuals and experienced tech professionals already working within Dhaka’s growing technology ecosystem, fostering new conversations around mentorship, collaboration, and future opportunities.

The session was supported by several community partners. NHF Youth, the youth wing of the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh, served as the Health Partner for the event, led by Dr. Iftekhar Ali Khandakar (MBBS), Coordinating Medical Officer at the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh.

Adroit Education joined as the Education Partner, represented by Shahreer Zahan, an organization known for mentoring high-potential high school students aspiring to top-50 universities in the United States. The Business Daily partnered with the event as the Media Partner, helping amplify the reach and impact of the initiative.

Operational and advertising support was provided by Tausif Ahmed Siddiqui, AMG Finance, Accounts, and Media Communications at Creation World, who assisted with coordination and event materials.

Held at a café in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, the event featured open discussions, live Q&A, and extended networking sessions. Organizers and participants alike expressed hope that Dhaka to Silicon Valley would mark the beginning of more community-driven initiatives that bridge Bangladesh’s rising youth with global experience and opportunity.