Local software and IT-enabled service companies will display their technological advancement and look to attract local and global clients at the BASIS SoftExpo 2023 as Bangladesh plans to raise IT exports to $5 billion by 2025 and become a smart nation in two decades.

The four-day exhibition is going to kick off at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Center at the capital's Purbachal on February 23 where 200 exhibitors will showcase their IT and ITES.

"This is going to be the largest tech fair in the history of Bangladesh. Local firms have made impressive strides in recent years and they are going to display their strength," Russell T Ahmed, president of the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS), told The Daily Star.

The exposition will have two large business lounges, a shuttle bus service for visitors, gaming zones and many other conveniences.

"We are going to hold the event as we want to keep contributing to the economy by earning more foreign currencies, expanding our footprint, and creating jobs," said Ahmed.

"This is going to be the largest tech fair in the history of Bangladesh. Local firms have made impressive strides in recent years and they are going to display their strength," says Russell T Ahmed, president of BASIS

Domestic IT companies have played a pivotal role in turning the country into Digital Bangladesh.

"Now, we want to show that we will be at the forefront of the government's vision of achieving its Smart Bangladesh vision," said the BASIS chief.

He thinks as the world is heading towards the fourth industrial revolution, ICT will be the heart of technological expansion. And the expo will lead the economy to attain Bangladesh's IT export target of $5 billion by 2025.

Policy-makers, national and international speakers, IT experts and businessmen are scheduled to attend the event. Steps have been taken to involve 50 universities in the show, according to the organisers.

Around 80 foreign delegates and businesses will participate in the business-to-business matchmaking.

Local firms are now busy with their last-minute preparation for the country's top software expo as they eye to impress both local and global clients.

"We will showcase our new products and services, including artificial intelligence capability, predictive modelling software and emerging technologies," said M Manjur Mahmud, president of DataSoft Systems.

The IT firm has already exported software products to 31 countries and has offices in four countries. It employs 450 people.

"We are taking this expo very seriously as we want to show who the real software players are in Bangladesh and how much we have progressed," said Mahmud.

Raisul Kabir, chief executive officer of Brain Station 23, a software exporter, said it was planning to exhibit its capability in office management software.

The fair is expected to focus on creating more collaborative relationships at national and international levels, inviting trade delegations from other countries to help them experience the immense potential of the ICT industry in the country.

There will be an IT job fair and career camp, B2B matchmaking, outsourcing conference, startup conference, developers conference and ministerial conference at the four-day event.

Nearly a dozen seminars and dialogues will be held where policymakers, ICT business leaders, national and international speakers, influencers, and motivators will hold discussions under one roof.

These sessions will focus on issues such as awareness and capacity-building programmes, e-commerce, cyber security, the strength of the local ICT industry, a professional framework for human resources development, the scope for industry-academia collaboration, 4IR, and digital marketing.