The Daily Star in association with BASIS yesterday announced ICT awards, an annual event to recognise star performers in information and communication technology in an effort to inspire the promising sector.

Brac Bank and Microsoft Bangladesh also joined the initiative as partners.

Bangladesh is now ready to create a revolution in the ICT sector, said Mahfuz Anam, editor and publisher of The Daily Star, at a press conference organised at The Daily Star Centre to announce the awards.

Terming the ICT sector an unrecognised diamond, Anam said: “That's why we are introducing this award. We want to present the ICT heroes nationally -- with an iconic position.”

He also urged the media to put the spotlight on the sector's revolutionary personalities and activities.

“If Bangalore in neighbouring India can transform itself as the next centre of ICT after the US's Silicon Valley, then why can't Dhaka?” he said.

The awards will be given on January 16 at Le Méridien Dhaka, the hospitality partner of the initiative.

TiE, a non-profit organisation dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship, is also a partner of the event, which aims to recognise individuals and organisations that are actively contributing to the prime minister's Digital Bangladesh campaign.

“We want to present Bangladesh to the world as an ICT hub,” said Shameem Ahsan, president of Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services. 

The Daily Star ICT Awards can play an important role in achieving the target, he said.

Many top global ICT brands such as NewsCred, REVE Systems and Tiger IT have connections to Bangladesh but it is never reflected in the media, he said.

NewsCred, a leading content marketing platform globally, was founded in 2008 by three Bangladeshis.

REVE Systems, which provides software solutions for the telephony and IP telephony industry worldwide among others, was founded by a Bangladeshi national, M Rezaul Hassan, in 2003 with six employees in the capital's Khilgaon.

The company is now headquartered in Singapore.

Founded in 2000 by a Buet graduate, Tiger IT is a star in the field of biometrics and identity management solutions. The company is particularly known for its automated fingerprint identification system.

In 2013, BASIS has set its sights to hit $1 billion in exports by 2018 and it has already registered $300 million, Ahsan added.

Sonia Bashir Kabir, managing director of Microsoft Bangladesh, said the initiative would provide an opportunity to the young people in the ICT sector to present their success stories.

From the onset, Brac Bank had designs to present the ICT sector as a mainstream one, said its Managing Director Selim RF Hussain.

“That's why we are supporting this initiative,” he said, adding that small and medium enterprises in the ICT sector also need attention.

“Without the power of ICT no business can function properly. And for this, we have become a part of the event,” said Ashwani Nayar, general manager of Le Méridien Dhaka.

The award ceremony will recognise winners in six categories: e-business, ICT start-up, ICT person, ICT product, and ICT solution providers in the local and international arenas.

Nomination criteria and forms are available on www.thedailystar.net/ICT-awards.

For the “ICT Person of the Year” award, those who have made more than 15 years of contribution to the ICT sector can apply.

Any local software and information technology-enabled service provider (including business process outsourcing companies) can apply for the local “ICT Solution Provider of the Year” award, said Sami Ahmed, executive director of BASIS.

The main criterion for selecting the winner in this category will be the last three years' revenue.

The “ICT Product of the Year” award will be given for innovation in the field of software and mobile application. The number of users and value addition will be the adjudicating criteria.

Any .com initiative including e-commerce, education sites, online newspapers, and job sites will be eligible for the “e-Business of the Year” award. The award criteria will be the number of users, value addition and the last three years' revenue.

Any ICT company that is between one and three years old and has a fully functional product/service can apply for the “ICT Start-up of the Year” award.

Software and ITES solution provider that has been exporting its services for the past three years can apply in the 'ICT Solution Provider of the Year (International Market Focus)' category.

Those who have been providing customised software/ITES solutions for the local market can vie for “ICT Solution Provider of the Year (Local Market Focus)” award.

The companies have to be registered in Bangladesh, and in case of a joint venture, minimum 50 percent local ownership is required.

Candidates can apply for multiple award categories, and the last day for submitting nominations, which will be adjudicated by a panel of eminent jury members, is December 15.