Bangladesh would soon be known to the world producing low-cost innovative products, State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak made the remark on Thursday while addressing a function on Digital Devices and Innovation Expo 2021.
Bangladesh has already demonstratedmany innovations and best practices invented by local firms who haveattracted a huge number of local and foreign investments.
With the view to taking the ICT industry to its new desired height, the ICT Division of the government, Bangladesh High-Tech Park Authority, Innovation Design and Entrepreneurship Academy, aspire 2 innovate (a2i), Startup Bangladesh Ltd along with Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS) organized the groundbreaking ICT exhibition titled ‘Digital Device & Innovation Expo 2021’.
With the theme - ‘Made in Bangladesh:Make here sell Everywhere,’ the 3-day exhibition programme would bring together all the stakeholders related to the ICT industry under one roof while showcasing the country’s success stories in producing state-of-the-art ICT products and services to the global audience.
The State Minister spoke as the special guest while addressing the inaugural function of digital exhibition programmevirtually on Thursday.
The minister said, “In the coming days, Digital Devices and Innovation Expo will build bridges to build an innovation ecosystem in the hardware-software sector in Bangladesh.”
He said that, “The government is already earning billions of dollars in exports from IT and ITES. By 2025, the government will earn USD 5 billion in export earnings from the country’s hardware and software sector.”
He expressed his determination to formulate the necessary policies to make Bangladesh a digital device manufacturing hub by exchanging views with the stakeholders at the conference.
Palak also said,“Bangabandhu had issued a directive in 1973 to set up an electronics manufacturing system. And due to the correct and far-sighted decision of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the import duty on 94 spare parts has been reduced to only one percent which enables the country to meet its local demand for manufacturing mobile-TV-fridges. Now, 80 percent of the local demand for mobile phones is also being manufactured in the country.”
“The government is setting up specialized labs in 100 universities across the country to engage the country’s youth in technology and lead the fourth industrial revolution. We have formulated a microprocessor designing strategy to develop the hardware industry,”Palak said.
“Robotics, AI, Internet of Things and blockchain strategies have been formulated. These have been approved by the Prime Minister in the Cabinet. Initiatives have also been taken to set up ULSI labs in various universities to boost the high-tech industry,” Palak further added.
Almost all the major ICT products and service manufacturing companies from the country are taking part at the event including big names such as Walton, Samsung, Symphony, Telephone ShilpaSangstha, Tecno Mobile, Vivo, LG, Nitol and Aamra.
The participants will showcase their services and products related to original equipment manufacturing (OEM), security and surveillance, enterprise solutions, telecom, cloud computing, government services, gaming and many more.
The A2I Innovation Lab of the government will demonstrate its range of tech-based initiatives in the fields of agriculture, employment, environment, women empowerment, health, law, tourism and many more. While showcasing the wares of the local firms and entrepreneurs, the participation from the tech-savvy youth of the country will be equally encouraged during the expo.
Alongside, promotion in the form of television and radio commercials, billboards, road-shows and social media campaigns would be conducted to reach the maximum audience globally. A spirited official theme song of the event composed and sung by the leading artists of the country has already been created. An official website & apps of the event will feature all sorts of information and updates relevant to the event.
