A group of Bangladeshi Google Maps contributors joined Google’s prestigious international Local Guides gathering, Connect Live Singapore 2026, held on July 30 and 31 at Google’s Asia-Pacific headquarters in Singapore.

The event brought together selected and experienced Google Maps contributors from different countries to discuss the future of mapping, emerging technologies, artificial intelligence-powered features, user experience and community development.

Among the Bangladeshi participants were Malaysia-based Bangladeshi couple Pavel Sarwar and Sumaiya Zafrin Chowdhury.

Other participants from Bangladesh included Connect Forum moderators Md Shafiul Bashar, Md Khokon Sharker, Gazi Salahuddin, Nasim M Joy, Md Palash and Farzana Rupa. Tahmina Akter Trisha participated from Japan.

The participating Local Guides exchanged experiences with Google Maps team members and contributors from different countries and shared their views on issues affecting local communities.

For the Bangladeshi contributors, the event was also an opportunity to highlight issues and opportunities in Bangladesh, including women’s empowerment, accessibility for people with disabilities, accurate mapping information, digital inclusion and success stories of local entrepreneurs.

They have also been involved in training and awareness activities to encourage new Local Guides and regularly raise local issues and development proposals with relevant Google teams.

 ‘An honour and a source of pride’

For Pavel Sarwar, being invited to Connect Live is itself a major recognition for a Google Maps contributor.

“Google Local Guides Connect Live is one of the most prestigious international gatherings for Google Maps contributors,” he said.

He noted that the event provides selected Local Guides from around the world with an opportunity to discuss the future development of Google Maps, new features, user experience and community development.

Many of the discussions at the event were covered by non-disclosure agreements, making it impossible for participants to disclose details of future plans or features.

According to Sarwar, this year’s Connect Live was held in three different countries, with only 150 contributors selected from the global Local Guides community to participate.

He described being among those selected as a major honour and international recognition.

Sarwar urged Bangladeshi Google Maps contributors to continue contributing not for awards or recognition, but to present Bangladesh positively to the world.

“Through accurate and quality information, photographs, reviews and other contributions, we can present Bangladesh more comprehensively to the world. Every small but meaningful contribution can play an important role in building Bangladesh’s positive image internationally,” he said.

Carrying Bangladesh to the world

For Sumaiya Zafrin Chowdhury, representing Bangladesh at an international Google event is deeply personal.

Whenever she and her husband are selected separately for international Google events and attend together, she said, they try to showcase Bangladesh through their own identities and cultural heritage.

The Bangladeshi flag is always with them.

She usually wears a sari, while her husband wears a panjabi and lungi to showcase Bangladeshi culture and traditions. They also carry small gifts representing Bangladesh to share with participants from other countries.

“Through these gifts, we get a beautiful opportunity to share Bangladesh, our culture and the stories of our people with others. As a Bangladeshi, this is a matter of great pride for me,” she said.

For Sumaiya, however, Local Guides is about more than representing a country.

“One of the biggest reasons I contribute to Google Maps is that our opinions are genuinely valued here,” she said.

She recalled that suggestions made by Local Guides at events including Connect Live have subsequently been reflected in Google Maps.

“That inspires me to contribute even more,” she said.

She described Connect Live as an important learning opportunity, allowing Local Guides to exchange experiences with contributors from around the world and engage directly with Google teams.

Although she could not disclose details because of the NDA, she said some useful changes were expected to make the Google Maps experience easier and richer for users.

“To me, being a Local Guide is not simply a voluntary activity. It is an ongoing effort to help people through accurate information, present my country positively on the global stage and make the world more accurate and accessible for everyone,” she said.

Making maps more accessible

For Md Khokon Sarker, participating in Connect Live was his first opportunity to join what he described as Google’s biggest global platform for Local Guides.

“I am extremely happy and proud to connect with Local Guides from around the world and represent Bangladesh in person,” he said.

At the event, he urged Google’s global leadership to add more information about accessible places to Google Maps to make travel easier for wheelchair users in Bangladesh.

He also called for support for small local NGOs working on accessibility issues.

Building a more inclusive map

Md Shafiul Bashar said Connect Live 2026 was different in several ways from the previous editions he had attended.

He said the event gave participants an opportunity to meet more than 50 Local Guides from the Asia-Pacific region and discuss future Google Maps updates and other important issues directly with members of the Google Local Guides team.

“It was undoubtedly a special and valuable experience for us,” he said.

Although some of the discussions could not be made public, he said they had significantly increased their interest, enthusiasm and motivation.

“As Google Maps contributors, we expressed our commitment during the feedback sessions to building a Google Maps that is easier, more accurate and more accessible for everyone,” Bashar said.

A dream finally realised

For Farhana Akter, attending Connect Live Singapore 2026 was the fulfilment of a long-held dream.

She had previously been selected twice for Connect Live but could not attend the events held in the United States because of visa-related complications.

“So being able to participate in Singapore was extremely emotional for me,” she said.

The experience, she added, had given her renewed motivation.

The Google Local Guides team not only recognised their contributions but also listened carefully to their views and provided guidance on creating more meaningful positive changes within the community, she said.

From the beginning of her Local Guides journey, Farhana has placed particular emphasis on women’s participation and empowerment.

“Being able to represent Bangladesh is a matter of pride for me, and this experience has made me feel even more responsible,” she said.

She hopes her journey will encourage more women, in particular, to become involved in the community, move forward with confidence and become part of positive change.

Small contributions, global impact

Connect Live is a prestigious international gathering of selected Google Local Guides, offering participants an opportunity to engage directly with Google teams and an international community of contributors on the development of Google Maps, emerging technologies, user experience and local challenges.

For the Bangladeshi participants, however, the significance of the event went beyond the conference itself.

A corrected location, an accurate address, a photograph, a review or information about whether a place is accessible to wheelchair users may appear to be a small contribution.

But collectively, such contributions shape how people around the world discover and understand a country.

And for these Bangladeshi Local Guides, every such contribution is an opportunity to make Bangladesh more visible, more accessible and more accurately represented on the world’s digital map.

Google covered the participants’ necessary expenses for travel, accommodation, food and visa processing for their participation in the event, according to the participants.