PM opens e-Asia ICT conference today

FE Report The three-day long ICT conference -- biggest ever in the country, which includes various events begins today (Thursday) at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in an effort to woo foreign investment in the first growing sector. The organisers said they have taken all- out preparations for success of the event that will expose the country's IT (information technology) potentiality to the world. State Minister for Science and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Yeafesh Osman gave a vivid description of the preparation of the conference at a press briefing at the venue of the conference Wednesday. He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the fifth annual e-Asia ICT conference and President M Zillur Rahman will join its closing function as chief guest on December 3. ICT is used as a main tool for all kinds of development activities across the globe, the minister said adding "So our target is to utilise the technology at our level best and improve relationship with Asian countries for technology based economic activities". The minister informed the media that foreign investors will get open chance to discuss bilateral agreement with the domestic ICT firms in the conference. He expects about 2000 experts from different countries will attend the event where different ICT based products will be exhibited. Mr Osman said Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) with the support from A21 Programme of Prime Minister's Office has organised the mega event to exhibit the country's achievements in ICT and exchange experiences for further development of the sector. The BCC will exhibit different ICT products and arrange 30 seminars on different issues and five key themes including 'Building Capacity, Connecting People, Serving Citizens, Driving Economy and Breaking Barriers' would be focused in the conference, the Minister mentioned. He also said India, China, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Japan, the Netherlands, Denmark and Nordic Chamber will set up pavillion in the conference venue. Consultant of Ministry of Science and Information & Communication Technology and General Secretary of BdOSN Munir Hasan and Policy Adviser, A2I programme of Prime Minister's office Anir Chowdhury, among others, were present in the press conference.