DHAKA: Foreign-made devices are occupying our market. We need to produce devices with own content to occupy our market.

The inventor of Bijoy Bangla Software and Keyboard Mustafa Jabbar was talking to Banglanews24.com on the second day of ‘Robi Smartphone and Tab Expo-2015’ at Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) on Friday.

He has taken a stall at the three-day technology carnival and furnished it with books on software.

Praising the fair, Jabbar said, “Planning and execution is splendid. The people coming here also understand technology.”

“Many people consider internet as a means of browsing facebook only but it (facebook) cannot be the future,” he added.

“Digital devices, tabs, smartphones, whatever you are seeing here or at the market are not our own production. We are just importing foreign products and selling those. This cannot go on for a long time.”



Jabbar said, “We can start from casing and keyboards. Later, we can move on to produce devices.”

While talking to banglanews, the noted technologist always put emphasis on own content. “I observe severe shortage of own content but no one seems bothered with that. Someone has to take the initiative, has to be involved and invest,” he added.

“Mobile operators are busy with Ringtones. They are not focusing on content.”

“There are many challenges that we have to overcome. Otherwise, we have to sell foreign-made devices,” he looked pensive.

Considering country’s population as blessing in disguise, the Bijoy Keyboard inventor said, “Why can’t we produce for such a large market that we have inside the country! We need to occupy our market.”

“We have local brands but that are logo-based.”

Expressing his hope, however, Mustafa Jabbar said the situation will change like many other things that changed after the liberation war.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recently said, “We not only will produce technological gadgets but also export those.”



Terming the words of the premier as immensely encouraging, he said, “Once we used to import products like baby foods, cement and soap. But nowadays we produce those.”

This is why we have to take the matter of producing devices with own content seriously, he added.

On Thursday (August 13), Information and Communication Technology state minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak inaugurated the three-day fair.

There are a mega-pavilion, 13 pavilions and five mini-pavilions and 10 stalls in the exposition.

BDST: 1858 HRS, AUG 14, 2015
SR

** Robi ‘smartphone-tab fair’ attracts visitors