Global ICT awards ceremony kicks off in Dhaka

Innovative projects equipped with the ability to solve social ills will be recognised at an international ICT awards ceremony.

Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) and ICT Division are jointly organising the four-day APICTA Awards Dhaka that began in the capital at Radisson Blu hotel yesterday.

APICTA or Asia Pacific ICT Alliance is a coalition of national ICT organisations that work to build and enhance a mutually cooperative network to promote ICT.

Seventeen member countries of the alliance are taking part in the 17th edition of the event, which recognises potential and successful entrepreneurs and promotes ICT development.

In 2015, Bangladesh became member of the alliance and now the country is organising the awards ceremony within two years of getting membership, said Russell T Ahmed, convener of the event.

Some 47 Bangladeshi companies are showcasing their products and innovations at the awards ceremony along with 366 foreign participants, Ahmed said.

APICTA has received 188 projects under 17 categories and the winning projects will be awarded at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital on Sunday.

This kind of event will help highlight the country as the next ICT hub to the world, he said, adding that the programme will also help the country explore new business opportunities.

Currently, Bangladesh's IT export earnings reached $800 million and the country targets to earn $1 billion by next year and $5 billion by 2021.

“To meet that target event like this is very important,” said Ahmed, who is also the senior vice president of BASIS.

“We also hope the event will open new scope for Bangladeshi companies to go for partnerships with foreign entities for both local and foreign markets.”

This is an honour for Bangladesh to get the chance to organise APICTA Awards, which is one of the top ICT related programmes of the world, BASIS officials said.

Abdullah H Kafi, former chairman of the Asian-Oceanian Computing Industry Organisation, is the head of judges for the awards programme.

The other members of APICTA include Australia, Brunei, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Macao, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.

Apart from the competitors, local companies will also get the chance to showcase their products and innovations at the global show, organisers said.