First Day of BCS ICT WORLD 2008
BCSICTWORLD started today. It is organized by Bangladesh Computer Samity. Today, there was the inaugural ceremony. I am giving the English translation of the press release sent by Bangladesh Computer Samity:
“BCSICTWORLD 2008” the largest information technology fair in Bangladesh started from November 17, 2008. With an aim to build up a digital Bangladesh, Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS) started this fair based on the theme “Towards Digital Bangladesh.” The fair will continue till November 21, 2008, at Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Center in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.
Information Technology played a very crucial role in the worldwide development that we observe today. In today’s world, to bolster the overall development of any country, expansion of the IT sector is a must. For this reason, the organizers of “BCS WORLD 2008” chose the theme “Towards Digital Bangladesh.” In order to raise awareness and interest among people about ICT and to build up an ICT knowledge based nation. To attract people of all ages, the fair will start at 10 a.m. and remain open till 8 p.m. Today, the fair has been opened for people at 1 p.m. This year, 65 ICT organizations participated in the fair. They are going to showcase their products and services in 23 stalls and 76 pavillions.
Mr. Manik Lal Samaddar, Special Assistance to the Honorable Chief Adviser
Ministry of Fisheries & Livestock and Ministry of Science & ICT, inaugurated the fair. Professor Dr. S.M.A. Faiz, Vice-Chancellor, University of Dhaka, and
Major General Manzurul Alam, ndc, psc (retd), Chairman, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, were special guests at the inaugural ceremony. Mr. Mustafa Jabbar, President, Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS) chaired the show. Officials of various government and private organizations, educational institutions, and members and directors of BCS, BASIS and ISPAB were present in the ceremony.
Mr. Manik Lal Samaddar, Special Assistance to the Honorable Chief Adviser said that people have now access to the entire world with the blessings of the information technology. We should work hard to ensure the use of this technology in every sphere of our lives and eradicate poverty from our country. With that end in mind, the Science, Information and Communication Ministry has taken some necessary steps. Government has set up an ICT Incubator with continuous electric supply at the heart of Dhaka city. In Gazipur, construction of a hi-tech park is on its way. In addition, government has decided to set up five information center. Former ICT policies are on their way to be re-implemented after reviewed by specialists. Necessary works to establish an ICT roadmap and E-governance strategies are in full swing. The process of establishing co-ordination between respective government ministries and ICT Task force is also going on. Mr. Samaddar also said that the private organizations are also working for the development of the ICT sector along with government and he admitted the major role of Bangladesh Computer Samity BCS in this regard. In the end, Mr. Manik Lal Samaddar cordially thanked BCS for organizing the “BCS ICT WORLD 2008,” which in itself is a huge undertaking.
In his speech, special guest of the program, Professor Dr. S.M.A. Faiz, Vice-Chancellor, University of Dhaka said that IT is our ticket to future. In order to keep up with the rest of the world, necessary knowledge and expertise in IT is a must. Professor Dr. S.M. A. Faiz, congratulated BCS for its great contribution in the ICT sector of Bangladesh. Major General Manzurul Alam said that in order to continue the ongoing development in the country we have to work to expand the ICT sector. He further said that BCS has deserves all the praise for consistently organizing such a huge fair every year. Mr. Manzurul Alam then described some of the key activities of BTRCA.
In his inaugural speech, Mr. Mustafa Jabbar, President, BCS, urged every one to adopt IT as the staple medium of education. He said that only through establishing an educational system that embeds the necessary knowledge of IT, we can fulfill the dream of building a digital Bangladesh.
Mr. A. T. Shafique Uddin Ahmed, Convener, “BCS ICT WORLD 2008” thanked everyone in his speech.
After inaugurating the fair, the honorable guests visited the stalls and pavilions in the fair. On the first day, students from Right Click School and Abed Halima Dakhil Madrassa came to see the fair. They also acquired knowledge on information technology which was followed by an exciting quiz contest. The winners were given attractive gifts.
For computer game lovers, BCS organized gaming zone in the fair and free internet browsing facility for internet enthusiasts. For the first time in the history of BCS fair, the entire fair premise has been brought under wi-fi network. Users can browse the net from any where in the fair for free.
The ICT Business Promotion Council under the ministry of commerce gave necessary assistance to organize the “BCS ICT WORLD 2008.” Acer, BenQ, and Microsoft are the gold sponsors of the fair and the silver sponsors are AOC and Hitachi. Agni- online is the official ISP service provider. The entry fee is taka 20 per person and students will enjoy free entrance.
BCSICTWORLD 2008: Speech of A.T. Shafique Uddin Ahmed
This morning, I went to the secretariat of Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS) to attend a press conference on the eve of BCSICTWorld 2008. The convener of BCSICTWORLD 2008, A.T. Shafique Uddin Ahmed along with BCS President Mustafa Jabbar and other members of the executive committee of Bangladesh Computer Samity, briefed the journalists about the fair and its latest preparations. A.T. Shafique Uddin Ahmed read a written statement to the journalists and I am giving a translated version of his speech:
My dear journalist friends,
On behalf of the organizers of the “BCS ICT World 2008,” the largest ICT fair in Bangladesh, I welcome you all. You must remember that on October 29, 2008 we organized a ‘Press meet’ to give you information and exchange opinions regarding the ICT fair. On that day, we gave out all the relevant information about the fair. This meeting has been called to upgrade you about our activities and advancements in the last fifteen days. In today’s speech, I will give you the key information on the ICT fair; hence, there will be repetition of some of the information we gave you in the last meeting.
As you all know, “BCS ICT World 2008,” the largest ICT fair in Bangladesh, is going to be held at the Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Center (BCFCC), the only venue in Bangladesh with international standards, from November 17, 2008 to November 21, 2008. The fair will start from 10 a.m. and continue till 8 p.m. at night except the first day. The fair will be formally inaugurated at 11 a.m. on November 17, 2008. On that day, the fair will be opened for visitors after 1 p.m. Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman, the honorable Education Adviser of Bangladesh Government, gave his consent to be the chief guest of the ceremony. Major General Manzurul Alam, ndc, psc (retd), Chairman, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission will be the special guest in the ceremony. Among others, Mr. Manik Lal Samaddar, Special Assistance to the Honorable Chief Adviser Ministry of Fisheries & Livestock and Ministry of Science & ICT, and Professor Dr. S.M.A. Faiz Vice-Chancellor, University of Dhaka are going to be present at the ceremony.
Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS), the main business organization in the ICT sector of Bangladesh, is the organizer of “BCS ICT World 2008.” We also received assistance from the ICT Business Promotion Council, the organization under the Ministry of Business. Acer, BenQ and Microsoft are the gold sponsor; ISP Bangladesh - Agni Systems Limited, AOC Monitor, and Hitachi are silver sponsors of the fair. Index IT Limited and Kaspersky are going to sponsor the ticket and ticket counter.
In the “BCS ICT World 2008,” sixty five companies will showcase their products and services in 23 pavillions and 76 stalls. The fair premise is divided into two areas. The stalls are situated in the main building of BCFCC and the pavilion zone is situated in the outer area of the building. The stall zone is further divided according to various devices such as desktop, laptop, digital imaging and software sub-zones. Beside the pavilion zone, there will be internet browsing zone, gaming zone, children’s drawing composition zone. As usual, we have arranged some stalls for media at a cheaper price.
Dear journalist friends,
You already know that the theme of the “BCS ICT World 2008” is- “Towards Digital Bangladesh.” For the last fifteen years, we have been organizing the largest ICT fair of the country. Over the years, we observed a significant growth in the number of visitors who are interested about computer and information technology. Now, we think that this is the ideal time to ensure the use of IT in every Bangladeshi household. We want to build a digital Bangladesh and with that end in mind, we chose this theme.
You are well aware of the fact that BCS exhibitions attract hundreds and thousands of IT enthusiasts from different corners of the country. Throughout the year, they eagerly wait for this fair to know about the latest products and technologies available in the country. The companies who showcase their products also sale them and offer discounts. Every ICT fair BCS has arranged so far has become a memorable experience for the IT enthusiasts and this year there will be no exception.
You must have noticed that BCS fairs are not just any typical fairs. In each and every fair, we always make sure that we present something unique and special and new to the people this country. Continuing that trend, this year, BCS made special arrangements to bring students of 40/50 schools from different areas of the city. Necessary arrangements have been made to bring them to the fair and participate in various educational events. In addition, we have arranged children’s art competition. The participants are going to be divided into three age groups: ‘A’ group consists of below six years of age, ‘B’ group consists of six to eight years old, and ‘C’ group consists of eight to ten year olds. The competition is going to be held on November 21, 2008. It is arranged by Faber Castle. Aside from painting competitions, the students are going to be introduced with various computer machineries and software. They will also enjoy gaming.
We have also arranged for seminars in the fair. We have tried to present new subjects in these seminars. They are: ‘Display of the future,’ ‘New Technology to life,’ ‘Next generation internet,’ ‘Digital education is the foundation of Digital Bangladesh’ and ‘Digitized government is the first step towards building digital Bangladesh.’ Famous domestic and international ICT personalities are going to present in these seminars.
Visitors can browse internet for free where they would get the real experience of broadband internet connection. They will be able to enjoy Video on Demand (VOD), IPTVT, net gaming, file sharing and a host of other services. The fair premise has been brought under Wi-fi internet connectivity. Hence, visitors can easily access the internet from anywhere.
Hourly press briefing and journalist discussions are usual feature of BCS ICT fairs and this time we have made necessary arrangements. Mr. Mustafa Jabbar , President, Bangladesh Computer Samity, is going to be present in the discussion on a regular basis and meet with other journalists. The control room, information and security booth will be set up in the fair premise. Food stalls will also be set up to provide refreshments to the visitors. Famous company, Nestle is going to serve free Nescafe coffee in the fair.
The entry fee in the fair has been fixed taka 20 per person. As usual, school students will enjoy free entry.
The Final ceremony will take place at 5.30 p.m. on November 21, 2008. In the ceremony, crest will be awarded among the visitors. We are expecting various important government officials as guests in the ceremony. Mr. S. M. Wahid-uz-Zaman, Secretary, Ministry of Science, Information and Communication, Professor Dr. A.M.M. Safiullah, Vice Chancellor, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, and Mr. Mustafa Mohiuddin, Joint secretary (FTA), Ministry of Commerce, are going to be present as special guests.
The executive committee of Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS) is the organizing committee of “BCS ICT World 2008.” To make the fair successful, I have been appointed as the convener, Md. Shahid-ul-Monir, Treasurer, BCS, has been appointed as the assistant convener and head of the fair execution committee, and BCS members who are experienced in various fields are assigned in various sub committees including: reception sub-committee, finance sub-committee, security sub-committee, logistics sub-committee, seminar sub-committee, event management sub-committee and media sub-committee. We believe that the diligent efforts of the executive committee members and members of various sub-committees will result into a successful “BCS ICT World 2008.”
Dear journalist friends,
One last thing, without which, my speech would be in-complete is that, we would like to thank our journalist friends for receiving their timely assistance. BCS and the media world share a great rapport. I feel very happy to say that media has played a big role in the popularity BCS has gained today. We also tried to help them in various ways possible. As a sign of this friendly relationship, to help the media during the “BCS ICT World 2008,” BCS has taken the help of the journalists and it believes that they will help BCS organizers in every possible way. During fair, for any kind of information, you can contact the members of “BCS ICT World 2008” media committee or me. In addition, we will be regularly updating the official website of BCS and “BCS ICT World 2008.” These websites are: www.bcs.org.bd and www.bcsictworld.com. In addition, for your convenience, we have provided key information of the five day fair below. In conclusion, we thank you all for attending the press meet.
A.T. Shafiquddin Ahmed
Convener
BCS ICT World 2008
1st ODI 2008: India demolished England
The final score is: India 387 and England 229 and the result is that India defeated England by 158 runs. From first, home players kept total control and dominated fully. India batted first and scored 387 runs losing 5 wickets from their allotted 50 overs. Yuvraj Singh was in top form today and he hit 16 boundaries and 4 sixes. In fact, Yuvraj Singh was playing in Twenty20 mood and the England bowlers looked helpless in front of him.
When England started their batting, from first they struggled and all the time, the main goal was perhaps to reduce the margin of defeat. Indian bowlers were in good form but I would like to give more credit to the English batsmen for playing badly. Pietersen scored 67 runs and was run out. Thanks to his batting, England could pass 200 marks. Bopara offered some resistance towars the end and scored some quick runs but it was too little too late.
This win made all the fans happy. They are now looking at a new India. Many people thought that India would suffer greatly after the departure of players like Ganguly and Kumble.
For full score of the match, visit the link: England in India ODI Series - 1st ODI
Oil price $55: Is it good for South Asia?
I clearly remember that when I started blogging about Asian Business almost 3 years old, oil price just started to increase. Hardly anyone could think that the price of oil would climb to $150 so fast. The unthinkable happened earlier this year and then came the great shock about world economy. It seems that many countries are now already in recession or in the verge of recession. USA and UK are suffering. Germany is now officially into recession. China does not look good either. So, the price of oil has decreased significantly in the last few weeks.
I think that this is good news for South Asia. All the countries in this region suffered a lot in the last 2 years because of excessive price of oil in the international market. High fuel price put severe pressure on foreign exchange reserve of all the countries in this region. So, they can have some respite at last. I just wish that ordinary people get the blessing of this price cut.
Noidaauthorityonline: Official Website of Noida Authority
I just visited the official website of Noida authority and I must say that I was a bit disappointed with it. Yes, there was enough information and I could spend quite some time looking at the information in the website, but I was disappointed with the design and the outlook of the website. I did not like the design. In fact, I felt that it offended my eyes some. In the left hand side, in the top part, three things are flashing and it caused my eyes and I found it a bit difficult to concentrate on the other things. I have to say that the color selection is not good and the website does not look impressive.
Enough about the design. Now, let us focus on the content. Yes, the content is rich and I like the photo gallery. If you do not have that much information about Noide, it should know that it is perhaps the best place to live in India. It has all the facilities of a modern city, but it does not have the pollution. Secondly, it has good law and order situation. That is why, I think that it will be a very attractive place in the coming years for Indian people. When you think of India in western media, most of the time we can see the western media is showing India as mainly a rural country where many people live in the villages. However, India has some of the largest cities in the world. Think of Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi. Of course, the problem is that the condition of most of the cities is not good. You can find very poor and very rich people in the same place in the mega cities of India. I think that Noida is an exception in this regard. It has many of the facilities and even it has some villages. The main focus is to make it an international level place that people can stay. I would recommend you to visit the official website of Noida authority.
The url of the website is:
http://noidaauthorityonline.com/
Can Ford Ikon Save Ford?
I do not need to remind you of that there is an economic recession going on in the whole world and the car companies are getting very badly hit in Europe and America. Today, I was reading that are around 10 million people are now unemployed in the U.S. so, it is easily understandable that companies like Ford are now suffering a lot because the economy of USA is not going well.
LA Times wrote:
Struggling Ford Motor Co. today posted a narrower net loss for the third quarter, but said it lost $2.9 billion on automotive operations during the period as demand for its vehicles collapsed.
The No. 2 U.S. automaker also said it would make further cuts in its white-collar worker ranks in an attempt to further reduce expenses as it burns through cash at an accelerating pace.
Fortunately, Indian economy has not been badly hit yet and many people are hoping that Indian economy will survive the most. So, many car companies are now looking at countries like India for selling their cars. Indian car market is growing rapidly and its expected that when the recession comes or not, the car market in India will continue to grow up for the next few years. Most people in India do not own a car and there is a lot of room for growth. So, Ford should aggressively push for the Indian market with its new car called Ford Ikon. Of course, this car will not see the company from further economic disaster but I feel that India can be an attractive market that can really bring some extra cash for Ford.
Noida authority in Google Trends India
I’m a person who loves Google trends a lot. I got said the latest almost every day and sometimes, I go through the lists several times a day. It seems that people in India care for education and entertainment information more than any other thing in Google search. So, I was happy to see that many people are now searching about real estate sector in Google Trends India. Do you know what they’re searching about right now?
noida authority website, noidaauthorityonline.com, noida authority online, noida, noidaauthority
India is a country is where millions of people is to leave in the rural areas. However, in the last few years, things are changing very rapidly and millions of people are now migrating to the cities. So, urban development is a top priority for Indian government and many private companies are now entering the real estate sector. So, what is the big deal about Noida? I am quoting from Wikipedia:
under the UP Industrial Area Development Act.(NOIDA stands for New Okhala Industrial Development Area) It has first-class months, the decision was reversed yet again in 2004 and the city was once again made into a separate district. There were some allegations of political favours through low-priced land deals due to these decisions. Presently, the city is a separate district, called Gautam Budh Nagar, with its administrative HQ at SurajPur, a nearby town. However, the highest government official, the District Magistrate (DM) stays in Noida. The city falls under the Noida-Dadri legislative assembly seat (Vidhan Sabha) and Khurja Parliamentary seat (Lok Sabha).
Noida is situated towards the north of India close to Delhi. it is bound on the west and south-west by the river Yamuna, on the north and north-west by Delhi, on the north-east by Delhi and Ghaziabad and on the north-east, east and south-east by the river Hindon. Noida falls under the catchment area of the Yamuna river and is based on the old river bed. The soil is mainly rich and loamy soil [1]and is suitable for growing seasonal vegetables, grains like wheat and cash crops like sugarcane. With the advent of urbanisation, vegetables and fruits are now the main crops.[citation needed]. The area has dry deciduous tress like Sal, Sheesham and Teak.
I have to tell that I’m not surprised to see that many people are interested about Noida simply because real estate sector in India will only grow for the next one or two decade. Many people are interested to get some property in Noida as the investment of today will bring a lot of benefit tomorrow.
Times of India wrote:
The first phase of the fresh draw of plots, in place of the rigged draw of June 2, 2006, was held on Wednesday without any untoward incident being reported.
The draw, held at the sports stadium, was directly supervised by Uttar Pradesh IAS official GB Patnaik following the High Court order to ensure a fair draw.
EPL November 8 2008: Arsenal Defeated Manchester United 2-1
It was a victory that made all the supporters of this London club very happy. They needed it desperately and it came perhaps at the best time that they could imagine. Well, the final score was 2-1 and I said I would have kept the lead of 2-0 until the very last moment. Manchester united could pull back one goal at the 87th minute but it was too late and too little. With this win, arsenal is now at the third position in the league table. On the other hand, Manchester united is at the fourth position in the league table and they have played one match less than arsenal.
BBC reported:
Samir Nasri struck twice as Arsenal beat Manchester United and delivered an emphatic confirmation of manager Arsene Wenger’s belief that they are still serious Premier League contenders.
The best thing that the London based club was the emergence of a new star in Samir Nasri. There is a lot of the expectations from Samir Nasri but until now, he was not up to the mark to satisfy the supporters.
Hyundai i20: Will it be Able to Attract Indian Consumers?
I have to say that I am getting conflicting news items about the coming of Hyundai i20. it is supposed to come to the Indian Market in the next few days but there is now new report that the coming of Hyundai i20 may be delayed a bit. Anyway, my concern is whether Hyundai i20 will become popular or not. Last year, there was Hyundai i10 in the market and it attracted many consumers in India. In fact, it was exported to some other countries to and prove to be a successful car for the company.
What I feel is that Indian car market is growing but it is ideal for inexpensive car models. Hyundai, is the second largest player in Indian auto market and they have been quite successful in maintaining a strong position in this country. One thing that I liked about identifies the way the company arranged marketing and media promotion for i10. Shahrukh Khan was present in the inaugural ceremony and he also did some exciting advertisements that attracted many consumers. I wish that the same thing will happen for this new model of i20.
Interview of Birendra Nath Adhikary Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS)
Birendra Nath Adhikary is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS). Bangladesh Computer Samity is the largest ICT based association in Bangladesh and it represents Bangladesh in WITSA and ASOCIO. Birendra Nath Adhikary is at the helm of BCS Secretariat and he has been here since 2004 as COO. He started his career in 1984 and he worked in different organizations. Thus, his professional life spans for almost 25 years. He has been directly involved with the ICT sector of Bangladesh for many years.
I have known Birendra Nath Adhikary since 2004 and I was and am still amazed with management skill and proficiency of English language. I cherish the days when I worked with him for BCS Computer Show 2004 and BCS Computer Show 2005. He is known to all of us (the ICT journalists) as Biren Da and I always wanted to take his interview. Here is the interview for the readers:
Razib Ahmed: How do you evaluate the changes that have taken place in the technology sector of Bangladesh in last two decades?
Birendra Nath Adhikary: It seems you mean the changes that have taken place in the Information & Communication Technology sector. Yes, a lot of changes have taken place in this sector as follows:
| SL# | Phenomenon | Mid 80s | Present (2008) |
|
1 |
Number of computer users | Few hundred limited to Dhaka city | Few million across the country |
|
2 |
Computer users pattern | Limited to classical organizations such as research, industrial & university levels | All walks of life, most significantly the government departments |
|
3 |
VSAT installation | Available in the government & special organizations in very limited scale | Available in all sectors including the private sector |
|
4 |
Number of internet users | None | Around 6 million across the country (PC + Cell phone connectivity) |
|
5 |
Number of mobile phone users | None | Around 45 million |
|
6 |
Geographical telephone coverage | Less than 1 % | More than 90% |
|
7 |
Skilled workforce | Few hundred | 10 million plus (high + medium + low levels in all sub-sectors including computer hardware, software & ITES, internet, cellular phones etc.) |
|
8 |
Fiber optic connectivity | None | SEA-MEWEA-4 undersea connectivity |
|
9 |
ICT Educational | Very limited to university levels | Compulsory in all levels |
|
10 |
Special National Taskforce & Ministry | None | National ICT Taskforce and Ministry of ICT have been formed |
|
11 |
Policy level | No ICT Policy formulated nor Law was enacted | ICT Policy was formulated in 2002 & law was enacted in 2006 |
|
12 |
Government initiatives for computerization / automation | None | Several initiatives have been taken upon declaring ICT as ‘Trust Sector’ and already a number of projects have been implemented and others are under process |
As such, I evaluate that there is tremendous positive changes over the last two decades in the technology sector of Bangladesh.
Razib Ahmed: The sales of laptop are growing now in Bangladesh. What should be done to ensure that laptops reach the doorsteps of rural people?
Birendra Nath Adhikary: Firstly I appreciate the question with a great idea to reach the laptops to the rural people, however, policy and action plan have to be formulated in ahead. I mean it is important to point out what & how the rural people will make best use of laptops and whether the infrastructural support, specially electricity and internet connectivity are ensured. Once these issues are settled, then there comes the product pricing keeping in mind that rural people have lower purchase capacity. My proposal is to first create job opportunity with proper planning & sustainable infrastructure development, and then provide subsidy or other type of incentives such as low rated soft loan for the rural people for buying laptops.
Razib Ahmed: Owners of many companies are skeptical about the benefits of using computer technology in their business activities. How do you think we can change their mind set?
Birendra Nath Adhikary: I do not like to speak in singular aspect whether the owner of a company or any of his/her staff members uses computer or not, rather in plural sense I think computer companies having 10 or more staff members use computers at least to some extend for their business operations. Companies having lower number employees have limited business arena which does not permit to incur establishment & overhead cost. In fact the ICT is a type of business in which none could sustain in long run without knowing computer operation. As such, it will be an automatic phenomenon that all business owners will have to know how to use computers for their survival and thus they will use it. 
Razib Ahmed: We have heard a lot about Bangladesh being potential outsourcing destination, but we have not seen any substantial growth in the export figure from software industry. What do you think is the problem?
Birendra Nath Adhikary: Buzz words are just buzzes! I think we have lot of disadvantages than advantages, which we do not address or just avoid and become highly optimistic with our only so called advantage of availability of workforce at lower wages in compare to anywhere of the world. Let me point out our disadvantages as follows:
- Our software products are not proven to compete the world market till now due to the main reason we haven’t our own market for our own products. Just look at most of the banks use foreign software.
- Buyers’ lack of confidence to us due to our inadequate infrastructure and other socio-political unrest.
- A large number of our quality people migrate for better opportunity due to low wages here.
- Competitors around us have much advantage over us such as their products are proven in their homelands; their infrastructure is stable, lower rate of migration of their skilled workforce due to their higher wages at home etc.
Razib Ahmed: These days many people are talking about ITES. Do you think that ITES has good potential for Bangladesh?
Birendra Nath Adhikary: Yes, ITES has very good potential in our country. In fact this is the industry which could grow across the country with minimum invest and mid level education background, say higher secondary or even lower grade. If you think about graphics design or multimedia software development, you need not to know high level programming language; mid level or even primary level of technical knowledge in the respective subject will enable you to furnish the job at initial stage and then gradually will be expert enough. Same is case for simple web page development. Think most of the web pages are of this category worldwide.
Razib Ahmed: We have over 500 software companies, but we don’t have software companies employ hundred of workers. What do you think is the reason?
Birendra Nath Adhikary: If you haven’t payment capacity, how come you can employ hundred of workers? Our software companies are not that much big to employ large number of employees.
Razib Ahmed: Internet is a wonderful technology, but most people out side of Dhaka still do not have internet access to it in Bangladesh. How this scenario can be changed?
Birendra Nath Adhikary: We need to develop the infrastructure as quickly as possible, meaning connectivity to all districts and sub-districts must be ensured, bandwidth charge must be lowered down, and rural people have to know what they will do with internet connections, meaning they need jobs, which should be ensured.
Razib Ahmed: Tell something about your personal and professional background.
Birendra Nath Adhikary: Personally I am at 52, fought for the country in 1971 as one of the youngest freedom fighters. I got my Bachelor Honours and Masters in Statistics from the University of Dhaka. Also I completed Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Science. My better half SEEMA works in government office and our only child BOON reads at level VIII in a neighboring country. In 1984 I started my career as a Research Assistant at ICDDR, B, Dhaka, Bangladesh, where I was promoted as a Database Programmer and Database Group Head and worked there till early 1998, and then I joined in AKTEL as the IT Manager where I worked till mid 2000, then joined as Director of first authorized Oracle Education Center in Bangladesh and then finally joined at Bangladesh Computer Samity as Chief Operating Officer since 2004 & working here till date.
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A book by CosmoFair founder
A book by CosmoFair founder, Bill Belew, that might change your world
