BCS Digital Expo begins in city March 9

The annual BCS Digital Expo 2011 will begin in the city on March 09 aiming to create awareness among the youths about the latest information communication technology (ICT) and to project digital life-style to the visitors. The five-day event titled 'Digital Bangladesh for New Generation', will be held at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre and is expected to be inaugurated by Agricultural Minister Motia Chowdhury. Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS), in association with ICT ministry and ICT promotion council of the ministry of commerce, will organise the show. The announcement was made at a press conference held Tuesday at the premises of BCS office at Sonargaon Road. BCS president Mostafa Jabbar, vice-president Kazi Ashraful Alam, secretary general Mojibur Rahman Swapan and treasurer Md Akteruzzaman were present on the occasion. Mostafa Jabbar said the dream of Digital Bangladesh was actually a BCS concept which has now become a national programme and is being successfully implemented. "The government is very supportive of any technology-based programme and its implementation. Some of our demands are supportive of the development of ICT sector in the country," he said. He appreciated the support that BCS received from the Fakhruddin Ahmed-led caretaker government in 2008 for organising a road-show. Around 66 local and foreign ICT service-providers will showcase their products at 73 stalls encompassing 29 pavilions at the fair. The main target group of this year's fair is the young generation as "they are the main users and promoters of information technology." "We are successful to a great extent in bringing educational institutions within the fold of our computer education programme. We want to take the computer literacy programme to the grassroot level," said Mr Jabbar. "As the global outsourcing business has been increasing and being shifted to the Third World countries, Bangladesh is most likely to become an outsourcing destination. We should start training up our young generation to tap this great potential", he added. The fair will remain open for all from 10:00am to 8:00pm with an entry fee of Tk 20 per person except on its inaugural day. On this day, the fair will be opened at 5:00pm and run until 9:00pm. School children with identity (ID) cards are exempted from payment of any fee. On the occasion, events like seminars, presentation of three best projects of a virtual project competition on 'Roadmap towards Digital Bangladesh' at university level and art competition for children, will be organised. - FE Report