The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Chittagong

A three-day laptop fair titled 'Laptop Port-08' began at the auditorium of Engineers Institute Bangladesh (IEB) Chittagong on Friday which linked the young minds together with IT.

Maker Communication, an IT-based event management company in coordination with bdnews24.com, and The Daily Azadi, is hosting the laptop fair here in Chittagong for the first time. A total of 18 organisations are participating in the fair having 13 brands including 25 stalls. Secretary to the ministry of Homes Affairs Mohammad Abdul Karim joined the inaugural function as the chief guest. Chief Editor of the news agency - bdnews24.com Toufiq Imroze Khalidi, member of the Better Business Forum Sayed Mahbubul Islam and President of Bangladesh Computer Association (BSA) Mostafa Jobbar joined it as special guests.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Maker

Communication Mohammad Khan told the reporters that variety of laptops of different brands is being sold from Taka 27 thousand to 250 thousand.

The exceptional event having fashion show, cultural functions apart from display of new brand laptop drew huge crowd on the first and second day.

The provision of free entry for the visitors in the fair, in order to make the event more accessible to the people, especially for the students and mid-income people, has apparently turned the fair venue into mass gathering on the weekends.

Different IT vendors are offering discount prices, gifts and other facilities to the visitors at the fair. People are also streaming into the fair in order to buy products at reasonable prices. Youths those are switching over from desktop computers are showing interest in stylish laptops with reasonable price.

Mohammad Anisul Islam, a young businessman, said, "Laptop is more popular than desktop to me as it is easy to carry wherever I go."

"I can't find any alternative of laptop to do my business related tasks quickly," he said expressing his interest to buy a new brand laptop.

Acer, Asus, Compaq, BenQ, HP, Dell, Fujitsu, Hasee, Kings, Sonny and Toshiba, Lenovo have come up with laptops with attractive prices in the fair.

A software engineer said, "Every year I participate in this kind of event wherever it takes place. I like it because the fair gives me update information about new IT accessories". Product Manager of the Asus AKM Mohiuddin Khasru said, "Demand of laptops has gradually been increasing in port city and the fair will be helpful both for the students and businessmen to get a quality laptop."