Outside the capital city, the first Smart Bangladesh Tech Expo 2024 started in Rajshahi; the city is known as ‘Silk City’ for its world famous silk products. On Thursday, 15 February, 2024, a well-equipped modernized shopping mall named Swapnachura Plaza was inaugurated in the silk city. From this plaza the first Smart Bangladesh Tech Expo 2024 too was inaugurated in the evening. The 5-day long expo was inaugurated by the City Corporation Mayor of Rajshahi AHM Khairuzzaman (Liton). 75 stalls and 9 pavilions await on the 3rd and 4th floors of the fair premises. The local technology product and service distributors have presented the latest technology products. Internet and Wi-Fi zones in the premises attract the attention of visitors and shoppers. Gifts and discounts are offered on purchases at the tech expo.
Rajshahi City Corporation Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman (Liton), while addressing as the chief guest at the opening ceremony of Smart Bangladesh Tech Expo 2024, said that due to the dependence of the garment industry as a foreign exchange earning sector, diversification of income like ICT is necessary to get out of unwanted threats from many places. Although the people of the northern region lack capital, the simple living people here are afraid to take bank loans. But the fact is, they too have to withstand. They have to live by themselves; No one will feed them. You have to provide your own food. That is why it is very important to learn all kinds of training in computer, internet, IT, technology. So, we are training them. So that they can see the face of prosperity by earning a lot of income both in home and abroad.
State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak was present as guest of honor in the opening ceremony of the tech expo organized by Bangladesh Computer Samity, Rajshahi Branch.
Sylhet City Corporation Mayor Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury and Rajshahi Deputy Commissioner Shamim Ahmed were also present as special guests in the event. The inaugural ceremony of the expo was presided over by BCS President Engineer Subrata Sarkar. Farid Uddin, the owner of Sapnachura Plaza, was also present.
BCS General Secretary Kamruzzaman Bhuiyan, Zhejiang UniView Technology Company Limited International Business Division Technical Director Arnold Liu, Excel Technologies Limited Managing Director Gautam Saha were present among others.
While speaking in the ceremony, Palak expressed his optimism that, the leaders of the computer association will take ‘Smart Bangladesh’ declared by the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the top of the dream from this Swapnachura Plaza of Rajshahi City. Smart Citizen, Smart Economy, Smart Government and Smart Social System – On these four pillars, under the leadership of the mayor of the city, the first smart city is being developed in Rajshahi at the divisional level. In the same way, as a sister city of Rajshahi, Sylhet will also be developed as a smart city. Gradually, all the city corporations of the country will become smart cities on the model of Rajshahi.