Source :The UK will press world leaders to agree to an ambitious action plan to get the Millennium Development Goals back on track for 2015. The plan is to target six countries—including Bangladesh—which are home to half of all undernourished children in the world.

International development secretary Douglas Alexander launched the new strategy at a conference in London on Friday.

The meeting took place ahead of the publication of an international assessment of what is needed to achieve the MDGs of the UNDP. The report is expected to lay out in stark terms the areas where progress has been weak and set out concrete action to achieve the goals by 2015.

The conference organised by the Department for International Development is aimed at tackling the most off-track MDGs – agreed in 2000 – including hunger and nutrition, maternal and child mortality and education. It is estimated that up to two-thirds of countries could fail to meet these crucial targets.

Alexander used the gathering of development experts to put forward a number of bold proposals that will be incorporated into the international negotiations ahead of a key UN summit in September.

“There has been some real progress towards the Millennium Development Goals but we must accelerate progress if we are to realise them by 2015″, Alexander told the conference.

“Business as usual is not enough. We need leaders from all countries around the table to endorse a global action plan which will benefit hundreds of millions of people in the developing world.

“We are now just five years from meeting the MDGs – it’s not too late but time is short”.

“I firmly believe there is more the international community can do and that is why I am using today’s conference to identify how best we can work together to get the goals back on track.”

He proposed doubling of aid for basic education and health services for mothers and children. He also underlined Britain’s commitment to playing its part to achieve the goals with funding for new vaccines that will protect children from pneumonia and diarrhoea in over 40 countries, saving 800,000 lives over the next five years.

The new strategy will address the devastating impact that malnutrition has on life-expectancy, health and long-term productivity, and will have a direct impact on the life chances of 12 million children by 2015.

Under the new strategy, efforts will be focused on Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Nepal, Nigeria and Zimbabwe. Each country will draft an action plan to address the particular challenges of local conditions. The efforts will first focus on India, a country which is home to 40 percent of the world’s malnourished children.

DFID will invest an additional £110 million over the next five years in the states of Madhya Pradesh and Orissa, where every second child is underweight. The plan will set out how to save two million children from malnutrition.

Douglas Alexander said at the conference that the UN Summit in September must be used as a turning point towards achieving the MDGs.

This conference will set out proposals for:
-International partners to double aid for basic education in low-income countries from $3 billion to $6 billion per year;

• a global programme to tackle malnutrition;

• the global community to increase levels of aid to fragile countries from the current 30 percent to 50 percent by 2015; and,

• a doubling of global aid for maternal, newborn and child health from $4 billion to $8 billion per year.

Alexander said that the UK would continue to identify new and innovative programmes that would maximise aid efforts.

He announced a package of measures to help developing countries tackle issues such as immunisation, climate change, lack of access to financial services, malnutrition and maternal health:

The package includes:

• New vaccines against pneumococcus in 42 countries and a vaccine against rotavirus in 44 countries, potentially saving 800,000 children’s lives by 2015 from the biggest child killers – pneumonia and diarrhoea. An amount of £150 million would go to the GAVI Alliance (formally the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation) for the purpose.

• To fight global malnutrition, a new strategy will target 12 million undernourished children, whose lives would otherwise be blighted by physical stunting, reduced mental ability, and poorer prospects in education and employment. Measures to swiftly address malnutrition will include vitamin and mineral supplements for pregnant women and infants; promotion of breast feeding for newborns; providing zinc to combat the effects of diarrhoea and promoting better hygiene.

• A push for more free healthcare in the developing world, by providing financial support and expert advice to help countries to deliver free healthcare for women through a new (£5m) Centre for Progressive Health Financing. Through UK support, Sierra Leone will launch free health care next month.

The government has initiated ensuring internet services for the students of every school and college of the country. Tele Communication minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju, Tuesday at a national seminar on information sharing said, that the same service will be made available for union level people also.

While inaugurating the seminar the minister declared that the people all over the world will be able to browse internet in Bangla on 21st Fevruary next year.

The government is taking all necessary steps to fullfill its commitments before last general election to build up a Digital Bangladesh, he informed. About 200 MSMEs and 100 telecentre managers from all over the country participated in the workshop.

Top level ICT experts shared their views in the sessions. State Minister for Science and Information and Communication Technology was present and distributed certificates among the participatants in the closing session.

Related .
Govt giving maximum emphasis on education sector
Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Golam Mohammad Quader has said the present government was giving maximum emphasis on the education sector for over all development of the nation. He also said that special importance had been given to educate women to make the country’s womenfolk totally educated everywhere with a view to ensuring their equal.

The minister called all the teachers, students, guardians, elite, professionals and concerned citizens for building a congenial academic atmosphere at all educational institutions for producing worthy citizens with quality education.

He said this while addressing a discussion meeting on education organised by authorities of Lalkuthi Girls’ School and College as the chief guest with president of the managing commitee of the institution in the chair on Monday. Deputy Commissioner of Rangpur BM Enamul Haque and UNO of Sadar upazila Mostain Billah, Principal of Teachers’ Training College Mohammad Rozaine, convener of Bangladesh Teachers’ Association Masum Hassan addressed as special guests.

Besides, Councillors of Rangpur pour-asabha Azmal Hossain Lebu and Jahurul Haque, Acting Principal of Lalkuthi School and College Saiful Islam, teachers Mahmudul Haque, Begum Shase Ara and Ziaur Rahman Zia, addressed.

Teachers, students, elite of the city, educationists, professionals and guardians of the students of the institution were present Intermediate first year student of the institution Keya read out a leter in honour of the minister and also narrated various problems that gripped the reputed educational institution for a long time.

In his speech, the minister asked the teachers, members of the managing commitee, students and guardians of the institution for further improving standard of education in the reputed institution and assured of all-out supports for resolving the problems there.

Sources Speakers at a seminar yesterday , said appropriate strategy for economic growth, political process and human resources development is needed for sustainable development of national consciousness, absorption of modern technology, educational reforms and political stability.

Referring to the rise of Japan as an economic superpower, they said Bangladesh needs to evolve a consensus of purpose for clearly defined objective of national development under a democratic order, they said. They were addressing at a seminar on ‘Japan’s Contribution for the Development of Bangladesh’ organised by Bangladesh-Japan Friendship Association (BDJPFA) at the Jatiya Press Club here.

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Tamutsu Shinotsuka atended the seminar as the chief guest while Chief Representative of JICA Bangladesh Takao Toda and Representative of JETRO Takashi Suzuki as the special guests.

Former Vice Chancellor of DUET Prof Anwarul Azim presented the keynote paper on the seminar while Chairman of BDJPFA Aminul Islam Khan Bulbul chaired it

The Japanese ambassador said Japan is keen to increase its investment in different sectors of Bangladesh, including communication, health and education, side by side with helping construction of the Padma Bridge.

He said the Japanese investors are interested to invest in these sectors in Bangladesh. Besides, they have shown keen interest to invest in textile sector, he added.

He said Bangladesh can import solar panels from Japan or it can produce the same in joint ventures with Japan for utilizing the panels in irrigation projects.

At present, Bangladesh exports shrimps, leather and leather products, jute, woven and knitwear products to Japan, he said.

He said the Japanese entrepreneurs are interested to invest in various sectors, including textile, pharmaceuticals and mobile sectors, in Bangladesh.

Referring to the recent visit of the leaders of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) to Japan, he said Japanese entrepreneurs signed an agreement with Bangladeshi entrepreneurs, creating a room for expansion of trade, commerce and investment between the two countries.

The ambassador said at present over 1,700 Bangladeshi students are studying in Japan. This number would increase to 3,000 by 2020, he added.

He said the economic cooperation between Japan and Bangladesh is gaining momentum. The Japanese government gave Bangladesh financial assistance amounting to about US$ 10 billion so far.

Expressing satisfaction over the existing relations between the two countries, he called for further strengthening the relationship.

Praising Bangladesh for maintaining a sustainable growth he said, it has atained six percent GDP and its export has also showed an improvement even amidst global recession.

The Japanese envoy informed that his government has been providing support to the seting up of different power plants in order to increase electricity production in Bangladesh.

“Japan and Bangladesh are enjoying traditional and time- tested friendship. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, both the countries have been cooperating each other for their mutual benefits,” he added.

President Zillur Rahman said that country’s all university of Engineering and technology would be turned as laboratories of creating technically skilled human resources.

“Research activities would have to be strengthened at the universities along with regular core education to achieve this goal,” he said while presiding over at the 1st convocation of Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET) here its campus at Gazipur.

The President emphasized on making the country’s engineering education curricula time-befitting with a view to keeping pace with the global education standard.

“Education system and curricula in the present world are always being changed as per the demands of the time, so our engineering education needs to be made time befitting,” Zillur Rahman observed.

The President laid emphasis on providing applied education side by side traditional bookish knowledge to the students in this regard. “We have to achieve the pragmatic and applied education,” he added.

The president said it’s a matter of happiness that the present government is relentlessly working of making the country’s education system time befitting and people-oriented.

Terming Bangladesh as a country of huge potentiality, the President said the country can advance quickly in the path of development through transforming its huge population into human resources.

Mentioning that present century as an era of information technology, the President said the desired development and progress of the country depends on proper development of science and technology and their successful application.

Referring to the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina declared vision-2021 to build a IT based prosperous Bangladesh at its golden jubilee of independence in 2021, the President said “I believe county’s engineering and technology universities would lay vital role to realizing the vision.

Congratulating the graduates, the president urged them to contribute in the welfare of the humanity as well as in the nation building activities with their acquired knowledge.

“Don’t compromise with untruth and injustice and never forget your motherland during your professional life home and abroad,” he said.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid attended the function as special guest while Professor Jamilur Reza Chowdhury delivered the convocation speech.

DUET vice chancellor Prof Dr Mohammad Sabdar Ali also spoke on the occasion.

A total of 2021 students of 2000-01 to 2007-08 academic session were conferred BSc Engineering digress while 31 students of 2001-01 to 2007-08 academic session MSc engineering digress.

A total of 24 students from different academic sessions were awarded gold medals for their outstanding results.

Nurul Islam Nahid said the present government is relentlessly working for providing quality education as well as creating education opportunity for all.

He said the engineering universities would have to act as the centers for technology expansion so that the engineers could make significant contribution in building digital Bangladesh.

Prof Jamilur Reza Chowdhury said the present government has approved the draft policy of ICT policy -2008 just after assuming the state power.

“I believe the target of digital Bangladesh would be achieved if the recommendations of the policy to be implemented properly.

Prof Dr Mohammad Sabdar Ali said the present government has taken four development projects worth Taka 92.2 crore in the university in line with its endeavor to build digital Bangladesh. (One CroreL: ten million)

Digitalisation is mostly importmant for information technology and well managed system,

The first-ever 3-day Digital Innovation Fair concluded today ushering in a new hope to reach the goal of having a digitalized nation much before the scheduled target of 2021.

Scores of people, men, women, youths and juveniles covering wider section of the society including learners and professionals thronged Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Novotheater, the venue of the fair that witnessed congregation of technology-lovers during the three-day display.

Organizers said over 3,00,000 visitors representing different shades of public opinion, especially higher level learners and professionals visited the fair that indicates that the common people are highly enthusiastic and optimistic over flourishing digital technology.

All the 102 stall including 82 public and 20 private organizations were jam- packed with the enthusiastic and inquisitive visitors from 10 am to 8 pm and the stall-managements were, on occasions, faced hard time in replying their various interesting and intelligent queries.

Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith attended the closing ceremony as the chief guest while Principal Secretary, Prime Minister’s office and convener of Fair Organizing Committee Md. Abdul Karim Presided.

The closing ceremony was also attended by PM’s Advisor Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, UNDP Country Director, Bangladesh Stefan Priesner, Cabinet Secretary M Abdul Aziz and National Project Director, Access to Information Program and Member- Secretary of Fair Organizing Committee Md. Nazrul Islam Khan.

The presence of internationally reputed Computer Scientist and IT Expert and Prime Minister’s son Sajib Wajed Joy at the concluding seminar on “Developing A Positive Image of Bangladesh” added special flavor and attraction to the fair. The organizers were also under tremendous pressures to accommodate the listeners who gathered everyday to attend seminars on related subjects of the “Vision 2021″, Digital Bangladesh and the “Change of Charter”.

The seminar held during the three-day fair were: “Taking Services to Citizens’ Doorsteps through Public Service Delivery Centers”, “e-Governance “Embracing the new Mobile Paradigm for Service Delivery”, ” Sustaining e-Service Delivery with Appropriate ICT HR in the Government”, “Implementing ICT Policy 2009 to Achieve Digital Bangladesh”, Integration of Government Agencies through Interoperability “, PPP Framework to Sustain e- Service Delivery” and “Developing A Positive Image of Bangladesh”.

Ruby Islam, a housewife from Mohammadpur, who was roaming in the fair venue carrying her 9- month old baby in her lap, told BSS that she got relived after hearing a news at the stall of LGRD ministry that she could register the birth of her kids through internet. “For registering birth of my child I have contacted one of my near relations who works in Dhaka City Corporation”, she said adding “despite his repeated commitment he could not give me the necessary birth registration form”. “Now I am happy that I could furnish birth registration of my child through internet”, an apparently happy Ruby said.

“I have come to the fair to see the reflection of government’s commitment to build Digital Bangladesh”, said Jeflin Hasnat Bipul, an NGO activist working with Action-aid, Bangladesh. “After visiting this fair I become happy and confident that the government has advanced significantly to attain that objective”

He suggested to hold such innovation fairs at divisional and district levels so that decentralization of official initiatives could be attained. Riaz, popular hero of country’s silver screen told BSS that he has come to the fair being driven by a wave of Digital technology that swept over the country. ‘I have become emotion- choked after observing the development of various government department and ministries,” he said adding that this steps should have been taken much earlier as the world is progressing vary fast in digital technology.

Reaz said, “It was witnessed in our country that after any change-over in the government all programmes of the previous administration are changed. But the programme for development of digital technology is a very positive step towards national progress and prosperity and as such I shall make a fervent appeal so that no slightest interruption is made in this regard if there is any regime change in the country.”

Kaniz Daiani Koraishi, a school teacher of Azim Uddin High School in Kishoregonj , who came to Dhaka to meet her husband working in the department of fisheries, told BSS

that she had come to the fair venue to see for herself how the ambitious Digital Bangladesh could be materialized.

“I have come to the capital with my children to meet my husband and it is always a troublesome for me to purchase rail tickets. I have become happy that henceforth I shall be able to collect not only railway tickets but also get all services like payment of utility bills sitting at my own home through internet.”, she said.

She also suggested to make technology available at the door steps of remote rural people of the country.

Four second year students of accounting department of Dhaka College- Arannya, Jewell, Shohel and Davit told BSS that they are happy hearing the news that henceforth they could collect their admission forms, know the date of their examinations and results with specific mark-sheets etceteras through internet.

‘But we have no means to have the opportunities for easy excess to internet services”, they said making an appeal to the government to make internet browsing free for students.

Law Maker Mohammad Shafiqul Islam Apu who visited BSS stall told that once we could attain full command on digital technology we could be bale to assimilate correct data and information which is very much essential to ensure accountability, transparency and good governance in the country.

“When we told about Digital Bangladesh in our election manifesto, many thought it was mere lip services. But if they today visit this fair it would be very clear to them that Digital Bangladesh is no more a dream, it’s a reality”, he said.

State Minister for Science and Information & Communication Technology Architect Yeafesh Osman said that through this innovative fair, where all the government ministries and departments have participated, it was demonstrated that the whole nation is prepared for a digitalized nation.

“Necessary mental and psychological changes have already taken place among our people ri8ght from government high-ups to the grass-root peasantry to welcome Digital Bangladesh “, he said and expressed his hope that the target of a digitalized nation could be attained before the stipulated target of 2021.

Principal Secretary, Prime Ministers’ Office Md. Abdul Karim who is also Convenor of the Fair organizing committee said that the entire perspective of digital technology programe of the government assumed a different meaning with the declaration of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of her vision to make Digital Bangladesh.. Through this fair people would get the opportunity to have an idea what kind of services they could get from the administration under digital technology.

Nazrul Islam Khan, National Project Director of Access to Information Programme said that the huge flow of visitors in the fair and their useful interactions with the stall organizers proved that the hope expressed by Prime Minister in her inaugural speech that the fair would unveil the services to be available at the door steps of the people, easily, speedily and low cost have been totally successful.

The fair organized in cooperation with the UNDP-funded Access to Information (A2I) Programme under the Prime Minister’s Office and the Science and ICT Ministry witnessed highest number of visitors on the closing day today. Among others, Speaker Abdul Hamid Advocate, visited the fair this afternoon and went round various stalls and talked to the people there.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the fair on March 4 with a hope that the citizens of the country would be able to meet every basic needs through digital technology.

Digital fair’s edict: Make govt pro-people, provide transparent, quick services through digitalizing admin

The Digital Innovation Fair 2010 in Dhaka concluded envisioning an imperative for making government more pro-people providing transparent and quick services through digitalizing its administration.

“Our activities will be faster and more transparent to the people through introducing e-services in the coming days,” Finance Minister AMA Muhith said addressing the concluding ceremony of the government’s Digital Innovation Fait at the Novo Theater.

The three-day fair, first of its kind in the country, began March 4 with a view to popularizing the government’s vision of Digital Bangladesh in keeping with its election manifesto.

The fair exhibited how the use of internet and other digital technologies can ease people’s lives. Its aim was to demonstrate ways of providing extensive government services to the citizen’s doorsteps, making them aware of the extensive e-services, encouraging and promoting the current best practices in public service delivery, sharing and replicating these practices across the government organizations.

The finance minister also said the government would not be a hidebound secrete thing to the people as the fair has come with all information as to what services will be delivered to the people’s doorsteps by the government.

“The people know what services will be given and how it would be provided by the government. So, there are no secret things,” he told the function.

Muhith said the government itself would be more aware about its transparency and corruption through ensuring access to information in the future.

“Digitalization means to create competition for innovations among the people, which started off through the fair,” he said.

Presided over by fair-preparation-council convener Abdul Karim, the concluding function was also addressed by adviser to the Prime Minister Towfique-e-Elahi Chowdhury and State Minister for Science and ICT Yeafesh Osman.

The first ever Digital Innovation Fair for 3 days begins in the city yesterday with a view to encouraging people to use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for building a ‘Digital Bangladesh’.The fair is a step towards providing extensive citizen services to citizen. Through the fair, citizens will be aware of the extensive e-services at their doorsteps. Also, citizens will be benefited in terms of reduced transaction time.

Ministry of Science and Information and Communication Technology and Access to Information Programme of the Prime Minister’s office are jointly organising the fair.

The fair will remain open to public from 10:00am to 8:00pm daily up to Saturday.

President Zillur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have issued separate messages on the occasion of the fair.

In his message, Zillur said the role of information and communication technology is of paramount importance in modern human civilisation.

“The present government, under the able and dynamic leadership of Hasina, has taken timely initiative to build an IT-based Digital Bangladesh by 2021,” the President said.

In her message, Hasina said the government has taken the programme to reach the services of ICT to the doorsteps of people to build a Digital Bangladesh by 2021.

“There is no scope to keep away from technology in present days. Technology will have to be used for the welfare of mankind and bringing dynamism and transparency in trade and commerce and administration,” she said.
Access to Information Programme (AIP) Foundation was established on October 23, 1996 in Sofia, Bulgaria by journalists, lawyers, sociologists, and economists who work in the area of human rights. They joined efforts to promote the right to information and initiate a public debate on related issues.

Access to Information Programme Foundation is a non-governmental organization registered by the Sofia City Court
Reg. #13 849/96. Since Oct. 30, 2002, AIP is in the Register of Organizations Working in Public Interest at the Ministry of Justice with Reg. # 20021030027.

The mission of AIP is to facilitate implementation of Article 41 of the Bulgarian Constitution which establishes the right of information:

(1) Everyone shall be entitled to seek, obtain and disseminate information. This right shall not be exercised to the detriment of the rights and reputation of others, or to the detriment of national security, public order, public health and morality.
(2) Citizens shall be entitled to obtain information from state bodies and agencies on any matter of legitimate interest to them which is not a state or official secret and does not affect the rights of others.

In 2005, the Atlas Economic Research Foundation recognized Access to Information Programme with two of the most prestigious awards for establishing and promoting the principles of democracy and market economy: The Templeton Freedom Prize for Ethics and Values and The Templeton Freedom Award for Institute Excellence. The Awards were presented to AIP Executive Director, Gergana Jouleva, PhD at the Fifth Freedom Forum, organized by the Atlas Economic Research Foundation, USA.

The goals of AIP are:
• To encourage individual and public demand for information through civic education in-the-right-to-know area,
• To work for transparency of government at different levels, advocating a more open supply of information,
• To facilitate the execution of the right to know.

Access to Information Programme is a co-founder and member of the International Freedom of Information Advocates Network (FOIAnet)
Access to information Programme is a founding member of the European Civil Liberties Network
Access to Information Programme is an associate member of the European Citizen Action Service
Access to Information Programme is a member of network The Access Initiative the
Access to Information Programme is a member of the Network of Democracy Research Institutes

“Make best use of all facilities sponsored by our government. Increase food production to build a food-sufficient Bangladesh so that we do not have to rely on others for food. If we want to save the country, our farmers and agriculture will have to be saved,” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said

The PM was addressing the inaugural function of the newly introduced Agri-input Assistance Card and Cash Assistance programme for the country’s farmers
The new smart card scheme for farmers designed to increase productivity and reduce fraud.
Almost 20 million small or medium-sized farms in Bangladesh will eventually get the card, which will allow them to open bank accounts with just a few cents.

It will allow the government to pay subsidies directly to them, cutting out middlemen and embezzlers.

They currently siphon off a large proportion of the government’s help.

The first use of the card will be to distribute a $100m fuel subsidy.

The cards will also contain information on the land the farmers have under cultivation, the crops they produce and the fertilisers they will need.

“An interactive database of farmers has been prepared to run in conjunction with the scheme,” said Agriculture Secretary Mustaq Ahmed, “which will help the government make detailed analysis of the inputs that farmers need.

“We can then make efficient planning for agriculture, while farmers who have never been linked to the banks will become more money-literate once they start going to them.

“They will then begin to take loans from banks – instead of rural moneylenders who charge high interest rates for farmers. It will also make farmers more aware of modern agriculture technologies.”

It is hoped that the initiatives would bring “revolutionary change to the agricultural sector

The five-day SOFTEXPO-2010 will be kicked off on Feb 10 at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in the city. Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS), the lone organization to promote the country’s booming software industry, is organizing the biggest software exposition with the theme of “Digital Bangladesh in Action”.
BASIS is expecting more than 200 exhibitors from home and abroad to participate at this mega exposition. The targeted exhibitors include multinational software vendors and ICT companies, international ICT associations, local software development companies, successful ICT projects initiated by multinational and local companies, govt. departments and agencies implementing e-Governance projects, ICT training institutes and universities among others. The number of projected visitors in BASIS SoftExpo 2010 is expected to be around 200,000 which will include CEO/MD/ CTO/CIOs from the corporate world, government decision makers, academia, business leaders, print and electronic media personnel, ICT professionals, ICT users from all over the country and abroad, students and citizens from cross sections of the society. Apart from showcasing of products and services by the exhibitors, a series of workshops and seminars will also be organized during the expo on various issues

BASIS SoftExpo- the annual mega exposition of the country’s software and Information Technology, is poised to become a major IT event of the South Asian region within a few years, organizers of the event said Saturday.

“The yearly expo has expanded its range and capacity over the decade and now attracting a number of participants from abroad regularly”, President of Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) Habibullah N Karim said at a press conference in the city.

“Although, the main focus of this software exposition is the promotion of our homegrown companies to the local market, our aim is to turn it into a major regional IT event after hosting two or three more such occasions”, he added.

The remark came days before the upcoming BASIS SoftExpo 2010 which would take place in the city’s Bangabandhu International Conference Center from the next Wednesday (February 10).

.Speaking on the occasion, MA Mubin said they have given special emphasis on ‘Vision-2021′ aimed at supplementing the government’s efforts of turning Bangladesh into a digital country within the stipulated time.

Over 200 local and international companies with around five lakh visitors are expected to participate in the SOFTEXPO, he said adding that the event will create a wide scope for interaction among software providers, buyers, IT users, professionals, media, policy makers, development partners, students and the society people.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith is expected to inaugurate the event, the BASIS authority said, while Commerce Minister Faruk Khan and State Minister for Science and ICT Yeafesh Osman would also be present at the opening ceremony.

Highlighting the growth potential of software and ITES in Bangladesh, Habibullah Karim said, “The market size of the country’s software industry which is currently Tk. 10 billion is set to grow to almost Tk. 50 billion within the next three to four years”.

“At the same time, the export from software and ITES which is presently amounted to US$ 33 million, could reach US$ 500 million within five years”, he added.

This year’s SoftExpo would have special focus on attracting top level executives like chief executive officers, chief financial officers and chief technical officers from various local and multinational companies, the organizers said. The theme of the expo for this year is “Digital Bangladesh in Action”.

“IT and telecommunication industry is quintessentially integrated with each other as the mobile handsets have to use a range of software for their value added services and other applications”, said Mamun Hashmee, Additional General Manager of Grameenphone, platinum sponsor of the event.

“The market for cell phones’ value added services in Bangladesh currently amounts to Tk. 500 million, most of which is shared by the local software companies and it is poised to grow into Tk. 3 billion within five years”, he added.

M Rezaul Hasan, Chief Executive Officer of Reve System, the gold sponsor of the event and Mubin Khan, Director of BASIS also spoke on the occasion.

The price of the entry ticket for this year’s expo is Tk. 20.00. However, students will be able to enter the fair venue free of cost from 10 am to 5 pm and tickets can also be bought through mobile SMS from any Grameenphone number.

Search Software

  http://www.softexpo.com.bd/online_exhibition.php