BCS computer show kicks off today

With the slogan 'where technology meets people' the seven-day 12th BCS Computer Show 2003 kicks off at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the city today.

Foreign Affairs Minister M Morshed Khan will be present as chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the show, organised by the Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS) in co-operation with Ministry of Science and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

Science and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Minister Abdul Moyeen Khan and Post and Telecommunications Minister Aminul Haque will be present as special guests on the occasion.

President Iajuddin Ahmed is expected to remain present as chief guest at the concluding ceremony of the show on Saturday.

116 computer firms are participating in this year's exhibition. The firms include software developer companies, hardware sales firms, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), information technology based magazines and other firms.

Some foreign companies from Asian-Oceanian Computing Industry Organisation (ASOCIO) and World Information Technology Services Alliance (WITSA) are also taking part in this exposition.

In this year's show emphasis will be given on building relationships between various public and private sectors and also between the government and various IT companies.

European Union (EU) has also taken a stall in the exhibition for the first time to promote Bangladeshi IT sector in the international arena.

Smuggled computer products and piracy software have been specially forbidden for show this year.

'BCS ICT scholarship' for poor and meritorious students will be formed with some portion of the entrance fee.

A programming contest will also be held at the fair venue on Tuesday. Thirty teams are expected to participate in that contest.

The entry fee has been fixed at Tk 20. But students of various schools and colleges can enter the fair free, provided they have prior permission from the authority.

The show will conclude on Saturday.