The country’s conjugal market for ICT and ICT-related products and services is likely to grow by a vigorous 400 per cent by the year 2014, industry insiders said Saturday.

Yet, the growth would largely depend on growing access to ICT services at the rural level and increased use of information technology in high school education, IT leaders said at a press conference in the city.

“Although a precise statistics about the overall ICT market is unavailable due to the wide ranges of products’ information technology cover, available data suggest that the import of microprocessor chips has posted an increase of 40 per cent during the last fiscal and the annual shipment now numbers around 250,000 units”, President of Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS) Mostafa Jobbar told reporters.

“At the current rate, the local market for ICT may get expanded four times compared to its current size given the government policy of bringing the digital technology to the grassroots level is effectively implemented”, Jobbar added.

The view came at a press conference organised on the upcoming “BCS ICT World”- the annual mega
showcasing of information and communication technology to be held in the city next week.

The national trade body of IT industries, BCS, would stage the event from November 17 to November 22 at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre. This year the event would also coincide with the first ever “Digital Bangladesh Summit” to be held on November 22.

Parliament Speaker Md. Abdul Hamid is expected to inaugurate the six-day long fair as the chief guest, the organisers said adding that Commerce Minister Faruk Khan, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni and State Minister for Science and ICT Yeafesh Osman would also be present.

President Md. Zillur Rahman, on the other hand, is expected to inaugurate the first ever “Digital Bangladesh Summit” on November 22. The day-long summit would be preceded by six pre-summit discussion meetings during the five days of the fair on various core issues about building of a Digital Bangladesh.

At the end of the summit, the organisers would come up with a set of recommendations for implementation of the National ICT Policy 2009.

A total of 65 brands and organisations are set to participate in this year’s ICT world fair through 83 stalls and 32 pavilions, the organisers disclosed.

The entry fee for this year’s event has been fixed at Tk. 20.00 although the access will be free for the school students as usual.

The main theme of this year’s event will be “Way to Digital Bangladesh”.

Around 150,000 to 200,000 visitors are expected to visit this year’s event, organisers said.

Bangladesh Computer Samity has been organising the annual computer fair since 1993.