BCS ICT WORLD 2008: Latest Update

Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS) has been arranging computer fair for many years. Until now, the fair was known as ‘BCS Computer Show’. This year, the name of the show is “BCS ICT WORLD 2008.” BCS organizers are expecting that more than 150,000 visitors would turn up for the five-day (17-21 November 2008) long fair. The venue is Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Centre.

I worked with Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS) in BCS Computer Show 2004 and BCS Computer Show 2005. I helped them with media support. I can tell you from my own experience that it is indeed a fair that attracts people from all walks of life. If you are living outside of Bangladesh then there is a good possibility that you will see about political unrest and natural disaster of Bangladesh getting a lot of coverage in international media. If you come to computer fairs in Bangladesh, I am sure that you will have to change your perception about the country. You will get amazed to see so many people so much enthusiastic about computer and information technology.

A few days ago, there was a press conference about “BCS ICT WORLD 2008.” I was present in the press conference and I am giving the translated version of the press release from BCS.

Press Release of “BCS ICT WORLD 2008” Meet the Press

Bangladesh Computer Samity is going to arrange five-day long “BCS ICT WORLD 2008” on 17-21 November 2008 at Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Centre. A press conference was held at BCS Secretariat on 29 October 2008. At the start of the press conference, BCS President Mustafa Jabbar introduced the convenor of “BCS ICT WORLD 2008” and Vice President of BCS A. T. Shafique Uddin Ahmed, Joint Secretary General Kazi Ashraful Alam, Treasurer Md. Shahid-Ul-Munir, Director Md. Moinul Islam and Director Yousuf Ali Shamim to all the journalists. In his introductory speech, BCS President Mustafa Jabbar spoke briefly about the activities of Bangladesh Computer Samity and stated that with the goal of implementing Digital Bangladesh, “BCS ICT WORLD 2008” is going to take place with the theme of “Towards Digital Bangladesh.” After it, convenor of “BCS ICT WORLD 2008” A. T. Shafique Uddin Ahmed talked about the different aspects of “BCS ICT WORLD 2008.”

A. T. Shafique Uddin Ahmed informed that ACER, BenQ and Microsoft had ensured their participation as gold sponsor. AOC and Hitachi will be present as silver sponsor. Index IT will sponsor the tickets. Nestle Bangladesh Limited will distribute coffee at free of cost at the fair. He also expressed his optimism that more sponsorship would come soon in different categories. The entry fee will be 20 taka and school children will have free access to the fair. The fair will take place everyday from 10 AM to 8 PM.

After the speech of A. T. Shafique Uddin Ahmed, there was an open session for expressing opinion and submitting questions. Many journalists voiced their opinion on different issues and they asked many questions to get detailed information about “BCS ICT WORLD 2008.” In reply to a question, BCS President Mustafa Jabbar said, “The main goal of this fair is to spread the benefit of information technology to all the people in the whole country.” He also said, “We want to see computer in the hand of every child of Bangladesh in the 21^st century.” He also expressed his hope that internet would reach every home and said that only then our dream of “Digital Bangladesh” would get fulfilled. Along with Mustafa Jabbar, A. T. Shafique Uddin Ahmed, Kazi Ashraful Alam, Md. Shahid-Ul-Munir, Md. Moinul Islam and Yousuf Ali Shamim exchanged views with the journalists about different aspects of the fair.