Infocom

Infocom 2005 with a slogan ‘IT everyday for everyone’ was held from December 07-11 2005 in Kolkata. Infocom- a conference and exhibition regarding ICT event first took place in 2002 at the same venue with the goal to spread IT awareness through sharing the experience with the world`s leading software, IT, manufacturing and telecom companies.
In just three years of its existence, Infocom has established itself as India’s largest ICT event. Infocom has today morphed into one of the most impactful IT platforms, where users and industry players - stars from within and outside India - come together to figure out the future of this field.

Over 2,000 delegates with 200 from outside India and 300 interactive stalls took part this year’s Infocom at Salt Lake Outer Stadium in Kolkata.

Since the beginning of the Infocom in 2002, Bangladesh is taking part with observer status. This year, for the first time 11 interactive organisations took part at Infocom 2005 where they got the chance to represent their products and Bangladesh's IT sector as well.
The delegates-exhibitors-visitors-journalists from Bangladesh all in a common voice marked the maiden interactive participation of Bangladesh at Infocom as a successful one. They said that this has opened the door for Bangladesh for out sourcing in ICT field.
IT people in India and the foreign companies working there who had a poor concept about Bangladeshi IT sector, have got clear idea got an clear idea about the potential ICT sector of Bangladesh. They all feel that now it’s time for Bangladesh to leap into the most prospective market in the world.

The grounds of participation
The participating organisations to Infocom-2005 from Bangladesh feel that it was a very worthy and fruitful step to take our blooming ICT sector to the international arena. They said that in this era ICT is recognized as the most powerful tool that facilitates economic growth. ICT has transformed the world into a global village and the main source of development in this sector is sharing of knowledge.

There is no doubt that India has emerged as one of the leading global ICT players. They have improved a lot in the BPO sector too. Outsourcing in India is on the rise almost in a geometric progression and Infocom is now setting the pace for IT in India, bringing to the fore ideas and technologies that are defining our changing world. Beyond any doubt, it was a big leap for ICT field in Bangladesh to be part of Infocom 2005.

Participating to the Infocom will immensely benefit a country like Bangladesh that has huge potentiality in this sector. It was an opportunity for Bangladesh to work closely with the policy makers and industry leaders of the region as well as the world’s leading software, ICT and telecom companies congregate.

Visitor response
Huge group of visitors at the Bangladesh pavilion was a very common sight from the first hours of the fair. The visitors to the exhibition rushed to Bangladeshi pavilion with huge curiosity. They all wanted to know about the progress of ICT in Bangladesh.
They were busy in collecting brochures and trying to know more from the delegates and exhibitors from Bangladesh.

Many of the industrialists and businessmen in India were keen to know about the political situation in Bangladesh. Many of them are very much interested in investing here. Some of the businessmen came to learn about the international tenders in Bangladesh.
A huge number of students came to the stalls of Bangladesh to learn about the job opportunities here. They are studying either IT or in other relevant faculties. Many students came with their CV and have shown keen interest to work in the ICT sector of Bangladesh.

Besides the ICT sector many visitors were interested to know about the ready-made garments sector in Bangladesh.

One of the exhibitors from Bangladesh said with great regret that they participated in the Cebit fair through the EPB but never got this level of response from the visitors. The response in Infocom was beyond their imagination. "Cebit is spoiling our money and energy while Infocom has come up to us as an opportunity for sharing the knowledge with industry players which will help our ICT sector for a fast take-off," he said.
The marketing company Insoft Ltd. is very much optimistic to bring better days for the ICT sector of Bangladesh if all leading IT and software companies from Bangladesh take part in the fair.

Seeing this year’s positive response they are expecting that, the organizations working in this sector will be interested to participate from the coming year.

Conferences
Beside the exhibition from December 07-11, a number of discussion sessions were arranged at the Infocom from December 07-09. The conferences on various ICT related subjects were attended by the delegates where renowned ICT personalities from all over the world attended as speaker.

Day one conferences were held in a CEO Conclave where the speakers gave an idea on CEOs perspective on the impact of IT. The second session of the day was Country Forum where the participants get an idea of the Global IT scenario.
The first day conference ended with an interactive session with the West Bengal’s Chief Minister Buddadev Bhattacharya that provided an insight into the vision of West Bengal as the next IT destination in India.

The second day conferences were held on ITES, BPO industry, Bio- tech and security, VLSI, RIFD and trends in infrastructure.

The third day sessions focused on e-governance and the challenges, opportunities and learnings of SME segment. The conferences closed with the roundtable of the IT ministers of different states in India.

Bangladesh in the conference
All the Bangladeshi delegates took part in most of the sessions held during the Infocom. Bangladesh had a chance to present the present scenario of IT here on the second day. Yusuf Abdullah Harun, founder Vice President of BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce and Industry presented the Bangladesh’s perspective for outsourcing in the session named ‘Knowledge Process Outsourcing’.

He underscored the need for ensuring the Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) instead of Business Process outsourcing (BPO) to turn countries like Bangladesh and India into a preferred destination for outsourcing.

Harun also pointed that the KPO business would hold great promise of outsourcing works as process could enhance organisational effectiveness on business administration and help deal with rapidly evolving business scenarios.

The session was presided over by the Kiran Karnik, president of NASSCOM, co-organiser of Infocom 2005. Among other speakers George Geis, University of Alabamba, USA, shared his experience with the participants.

Findings
Bangladeshi delegates and participants have found clearly that the merit level of West Bengal and Bangladesh is at the same level. But the secret of Kolkata to emerge as one of the most successful ICT hub in the south Asia is their vision. West Bengal has adopted a 10 years future plan from a IT and software firm and has made their leap into this fastest growing sector accordingly. IT is given highest priority in West Bengal where we are running with so many obstacles. It was said so many times by the high officials of Indian government including the IT minister, Manabendra Mukherjee, that if billions of dollar can be invested in Kolkata, there is no reason for the investors not to go to Dhaka. The minister very diplomatically suggested Bangladeshi delegates to bring political stability and remove the existing obstacles for ICT to be benefited from the business opportunities.

Achievements
Although many international companies have shown keen interest regarding outsourcing in Bangladesh at the moment we cannot expect a good deal of jobs until unless the existing obstacles are removed opined most of the delegates from Bangladesh.
They said that nothing is hidden in this age of technology to get business. The world knows the potentiality of Bangladesh in respect of expertise, but they also know that infrastructure here is not IT friendly.

The delegates and IT personnel suggested that if the obstacles like non-connectivity with fiber optics, non-legalisation on VOIP and call centres are removed now Bangladesh can emerge as the second most successful country in this sub-continent for out sourcing within next five years.

Besides, the policy makers of West Bengal have shown keen interest to help flourish the IT sector of Bangladesh. In a meeting among the IT minister of West Bengal Manabendra Mukherjee and Bangladeshi delegates the minister said he feels that Bangladesh is not only their neighbour but West Bengal has an emotional relation with this country. He also has shown keen interest to lend a hand to Bangladesh if the Bangladesh government specifically asked them.

Comments of participants
Yusuf Abdullah Harun, founder Vice President of BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, former president FBCCI: Infocom-2005 was an extremely important event for fast growing IT industry of Bangladesh. I believe the knowledge sharing with the reputed ICT industries and IT person attended the exposition from IT rich countries of the world will help the participating groups to improve their skill from the experience they gathered from the fair. I am confident that Bangladesh can become a preferred country for outsourcing within two-three years if we continue to take part in Infocom on regular basis.

SM Iqbal, President, Bangladesh Computer Samity: Participation in the Infocom-2004 was very much useful for Bangladesh. Obviously this year’s achievement is better than that of last year. This year it came up in a bigger way as we took part interactively. We have many reasons to be optimistic about our IT sector as this year we have successfully attracted the attention of the IT personals towards our ICT sector.

M Soeb Chowdhury, marketing partner, Infocom 2005 and CEO Insoft Limited: Through our interactive participation, by discussion, deliberation and consultation, Bangladesh ICT sector has got a clear idea about their doings in future to improve this sector. They should now chalk out a plan with the knowledge gained through sharing and caring with the delegated from different IT companies. If we can start working in joint venture with the Indian companies it would make our progress faster and I think Infocom can be the best medium to combine the two countries’ efforts in the IT sector.

B M Inam Lenin, executive editor, computer Bichitra Bangladesh and official media partner Infocom 2005: I believe that our mission was immensely successful. This year's participation has paved a platform to work together in future in a win-win situation. We were successful to present our ICT sector to an international crowd and the response gives us confidence to bring the brighter future in IT.

The Business Bangladesh
The Business Bangladesh (BB), the largest English business magazine in Bangladesh, was the only non-IT organization to take part in the Infocom 2005. About the goal of participating in the Infocom, the managing editor of the magazine, M Azmat Khan said that as a representative of business in Bangladesh, BB has a commitment to take business to the international market.
“IT is the fastest growing and most promising sector for doing business globally. It can bring blessings for Bangladesh. BB feels the responsibility to uphold and be with companies that have the potential to bring positive economical changes in the country," said Khan.

"So we are eager to carry our enterprises to the domestic and international readers; we want to do the best possible things to support, among many other enterprises, the ICT sector of Bangladesh,” he added.

The visitors were mainly interested to know Bangladesh market size from The Business Bangladesh. Many of the IT companies were keen to about the local ICT market size.
It was not a surprise that many of them complained that the official web-site of Bangladesh government has failed to fulfill their requirements. And they offered BB to supply them with the necessary information regarding international tenders, government's policy about the foreign investment and many other aspects.

Participants from Bangladesh
Eleven organisations from Bangladesh took part in the Infocom 2005. The first ever inter-active perticipation in the ICT gala can be marked as successful one from the response from the visitors, exhibitors, delegates, businessmen and observers from around the world.

1. Aim in Life
2. B &K Communications
3. Bangladesh Computer Samity
4. Bangladesh ICT Journalist Unity (BIJU)
5. Computer Bichitra
6. Insoft Limited
7. ISP Association of Bangladesh
8. Reve Systems
9. The Business Bangladesh
10.The Daily ICT Bangladesh
11. Xways Soft (Pvt) Ltd.

Bangladeshi IT company, Insoft Ltd. was the marketing partner of Infocom 2005 and Computer Bichitra Bangladesh worked as the media partner of Infocom 2005.

An emotional tie
Devjeet Dutta, an executive of an India-Japan joint venture software company in India on the very first day came to The Business Bangladesh stall in Infocom-2005. Enthusiastic Dutta especially he was keen to meet someone from Noakhali. His grand father and father were from Feni district in Noakhali. The family left Bangladesh long ago. Although Dutta does not have any memory about his forefathers’ original habitant, he is passionate to visit his village in Bangladesh. Due to many practical reasons, he can not make time to come here. When he was introduced with the NTV cameraman Hasan Hafizur Rahman, whose origin is Feni, Dutta could not control his emotions.

- Ayon Islam, back from Kolkata