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- Venue: Embassy Suites by Hilton, Washington DC Convention Center
- Dates: Friday–Saturday, 17–18 April 2026
- Organized by: In Search of Root Foundation USA
- Entry: Free Entry (except Networking Dinner, invited guests only)
Hourly Schedule
Day 1- April 17
- 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
- Registration & Welcome
- The conference opens with attendee registration and welcome activities, setting the stage for two days of dialogue on investment, digital finance, banking innovation, regulation, and cross-border collaboration.
- 5:00 PM - 6:00 Pm
- Inauguration Ceremony
- The formal opening session brings together leaders from government, business, diplomacy, and financial regulation. Opening remarks will be delivered by Mr. Raihanul Islam Chowdhury, President, ISORF, with Mr. Mark Jaffe, CEO & President, Greater New York Chamber of Commerce, serving as moderator. Featured speakers include Ambassador Osman Siddique, Ms. Sarah Brooks, Ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr., Ms. Karima M. Woods, Mr. Jon Danilowicz, Mr. Tarun Kishnani, and Mr. Keith Andrew Perry.
- 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
- Roundtable: Public–Private Dialogue on Financial Policy, Payments Reform & Cost Efficiency
- This roundtable focuses on the future of financial policy and payment systems, with emphasis on reform, efficiency, and public-private coordination. The session is chaired by Dr. Abdun Noor and moderated by Mr. Avik Sanwar Rahman. Speakers include Ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr., Mr. Jon Danilowicz, Mr. Pradeep Ganguly, Mr. Raihan Elahi, Dr. Birupaksha Paul, Mr. Bal K. Joshi, Mr. Md. Harun Ar Rashid, Mr. Kamal Quadir, and Mr. Sanjeev Joshipura.
- 7:30 PM - 7:45 PM
- Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
- A brief ceremonial ribbon cutting marks the official celebration of the conference. The session is moderated by Ms. Roquia Haider, veteran multimedia journalist, writer, social worker, and former Chief of Bangla Service, Voice of America.
- 7:45 PM - -
- Networking Dinner
- The first day concludes with a Networking Dinner for invited guests only, offering an opportunity for speakers, delegates, and distinguished participants to connect in a more informal setting.
Day 2- April 18
- 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
- Interactive Meeting on Regulatory, Supervisory, and Compliance Perspectives
- Day 2 opens with a focused discussion on regulatory systems, financial supervision, and compliance in the evolving digital finance ecosystem. The session is moderated by Dr. Birupaksha Paul, with speakers including Mr. Kamal Quadir, Maj Gen Md. Hakimuzzaman, and Mr. Chris Bartran of Mastercard.
- Registration & Welcome Tea
- The program also lists Registration & Welcome Tea on Day 2 with the time shown in the document as 11:30 PM–02:30 PM. That appears to be a formatting error in the brochure, since it sits within the daytime schedule; for listing purposes, it is most likely intended to mean 11:30 AM–2:30 PM.
- 2:30 PM - 3:15 PM
- Session: Future of Intelligent Banking: AI, Risk and Innovation in 2026
- This session explores how AI is reshaping banking, risk management, and innovation across institutions and markets. It is chaired by Ambassador Osman Siddique and moderated by Ms. Anika Rahman. Special guest Dr. Chris Rodriguez joins a speaker lineup that includes Mr. Abubokor Hanip, Mr. Kamal Quadir, Ms. Reshma Tamrakar, Mr. Pravesh Rijal, Maj Gen Md. Hakimuzzaman, and Mr. Syed Mahbubul Alam.
- 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
- Session: Small Business Financing and Enterprise Growth Opportunities
- This segment turns to entrepreneurship, credit access, and enterprise development. Chaired by Mr. Asok K. Motayed and moderated by Mr. Mark Jaffe, the session features keynote speaker Dr. Anis Rahman along with Mr. Suman Timsina, Mr. Prab Dahal, and Mr. Raju Mahajan, Esq.
- 4:00 PM - 4:45 PM
- Session: Strengthening Investment Flows in the U.S. and South Asia: Challenges and Way Forward
- One of the central policy and business sessions of the conference, this discussion examines cross-border investment, regional opportunity, and strategic cooperation between the U.S. and South Asia. The session is chaired by Mr. Faisal M. Rahman and moderated by Mr. Raihan Elahi. Speakers include Dr. Birupaksha Paul, Ms. Sarah Blanford, Mr. Hanif Channa, Mr. Faisal Quader, Mr. Nikhil Bhatnagar, Mr. Amit Pratap Shah, Ms. Shamarukh Mohiuddin, and Michael S. Edwards.
- 4:45 PM - 5:30 PM
- The USA–South Asia Digital Finance & Investment Excellence Award
- This award segment recognizes excellence and leadership in digital finance and investment across the U.S.–South Asia space. The session is moderated by Mr. Raihanul Islam Chowdhury and features Mr. Jameel Ahmad, Governor, State Bank of Pakistan, as special guest, alongside Mr. Md Sarwar Hossain and Maj Gen Md. Hakimuzzaman.
- 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
- Cultural Showcase – Celebrating South Asian Diaspora Excellence
- The conference closes with a cultural program highlighting South Asian diaspora talent. Ms. Roquia Haider is featured, with Mr. Anthony Pius Gomes as moderator. Performances represent Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Nepal, including DMV Taal, Ta Thoi, Mr. Arshad Baig, Ms. Nida Gul Khan, Ms. Luna Shrestha, Mr. Navin KC, and KC Dance Center.