The red & green flag of Bangladesh was flapping in the digital screen. The warmth of the spring engulfed inside the tent of Bangabandhu Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Center at Purbachal in Dhaka. BASIS SoftExpo, the largest technology exposition in South Asia, started on Thursday mid-afternoon with the singing of the National Anthem and the recitation from holy Quran. Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury inaugurated the fair by touching the start device. The Posts and Telecommunication Minister Mustafa Jabbar and the Information and Communication Technology State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak graced the occasion.
While speaking as the chief guest at the event, The Jatiya Sandar Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhary said that our software dependence is increasing every day. There is no substitute for software in building a smart Bangladesh. BASIS entrepreneurs are expected to contribute the most in this regard. The BASIS president spoke of securing opportunities for academia research, government support and industry to generate revenue of 5 billion to 20 billion dollars. He asked to bring the three sectors under one umbrella. If this proposal is beneficial for the state then the Prime Minister must consider it.
He also said that we should give utmost importance to developing smart citizens. As a part of this Smart Leadership Academy has been done. Taking training from here, our will create world class technology leaders from inside the country without going abroad. So, I urge BASIS to utilize the favorable environment created by the government.
While delivering his welcome speech, the SoftExpo Convener Abu Daud Khan said at the opening ceremony that of the 17th fair in twenty years of its existence, more than two thousand members of BASIS have contributed in all aspects of digital development in Bangladesh. Visitors will feel the potential of Bangladesh in their various presentations instead of mere seeing the exhibitions.
While speaking as the special guest at the event presided over by BASIS President Russell T Ahmed, the State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak expressed solidarity with BASIS’s commitment to SMARTVERSE and said that many of BASIS’s 300,000 talented workforce were studying in schools and colleges in 2009. Sajeeb Wazed Joy has created a bridge between Industry-Academia-Government in formulating ICT policies. ICT has now become one of the industry sectors. 2 million people are getting employment. 10 percent cash incentive is being given on IT exports.
Palak highlighted the various steps taken by the ICT Division in bridging between the university and the industry and said that the project of entrepreneurship has been taken up through training and mentorship of one lakh fresh graduates. Coding is taught from scratch to create problem solvers. A number of BASIS member organizations are working on AI to meet overseas needs. BASIS has successfully led the ICT industry of Bangladesh in the implementation of the Digital Bangladesh vision of the Hon’ble Prime Minister and played a leading role in the development of the ICT industry. We want to give a gift to the industry by 2025 by turning 1 lakh youth into a skilled workforce through training, incubation and mentoring in the development of Bangladesh’s software industry.
Meanwhile, the state minister urged the ICT entrepreneurs to take up the challenge in robotics and cyber security. He said that the success of Smart Bangladesh will depend on the success of BASIS.
Then the former president of BASIS and Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Mustafa Jabbar delivered his speech saying, “We have to decentralize exports now. Because 100% value addition is from the technology or software service sector. And those educated in general education have identified themselves as the most talented children of the country.
Mentioning the biggest strength of smart Bangladesh, the minister also said that students in science or computer science are not all; the general educated are making a major contribution. Not all BASIS freshmen started business by studying computer science. And our education system needs to be changed for the smart manpower mentioned by the honorable Prime Minister. Greater emphasis will be placed on digital transformation of teaching and learning materials.
The former president of BASIS urged 5 organizations of ICT sector including BASIS to take action now to extend the period of tax free benefits till 2024.
In the president’s speech, Russell T. Ahmed said that this conference is a revival of business in times of crisis. We are implementing it through crowdsourcing. The conference will explore the possibilities as well as highlight the capabilities of our industry to walk the path to solutions through problems. This event is to strengthen businessmen and the new generation in one place. 17 crore people now want to be a part of Smart Bangladesh.
In his speech, Russel T Ahmed asked for the freedom to implement the policy by presenting the 3/3 formula and said that 2025 is not too far. ‘The day after tomorrow’. We have analyzed the market and found that there is a huge potential in the ICT sector in the world. In that case, the boat is waiting at our port. But there is still much frustration about the relationship between academia-industry and industry-government. So if academia-industry and government have to work together. Then it is possible to earn 20 billion dollars export income from this sector by 2031. Research and development and appraisal needs to be done. The ICT sector should not be judged by exports alone. Because ICT is important in all fields of clothing and agriculture. So this sector should be given maximum importance.
Bangladesh Computer Association President Subrata Sarkar, ISPAB President Imdadul Haque, e-CAB President Shomi Kaiser, BACCO President Wahid Sharif and others were present.