Low-priced laptops are set to capture the local market for desktop by 2010, according to organisers of the BCS ICT World 2008, the largest computer fair in Dhaka.

“The global market for the low-priced laptops widened by 60 percent last year, which also influenced the local market,” Mustafa Jabbar, president of the Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS), told a seminar.

The seminar on The Future of Information and Communication Technology in Bangladesh was organised on the sidelines of the five-day fair at Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Centre.

“Laptops are becoming more popular among business people and students, as the prices of those portable items have come down in the international market,” he said.

Most of the computer vendors echoed Jabbar's view saying that the visitors this time are showing much interest in laptops.

As many as nine international brands including Asus, HP, Toshiba, BenQ, Samsung, SR, Great Wall and Sony have brought low-priced laptops in the local market.

Moshiur Rahman Tushar, director of Miracom Technologies, local agent for Chinese laptop Great Wall, said his organisation has already sold out a good number of laptops, mainly to several corporate clients, such as real estate and insurance companies.

He said developers are now mulling to gift such laptops to the buyers booking flats or plots.

Great Wall laptops are available at Tk 29,500 with a mobile processor of 1.6 Giga hartz and 10.2 inches monitor, which is considered to be the most competitive price at the fair.

BenQ also sells laptops at Tk 35,000.

Besides laptops, other products ranging from clone and brand computers, mouse, CDs, key boards, speakers, CD rom drives, MP 3, MP 4, digital cameras, printers and scanners have been put on display by around 65 companies at the fair.

The fair will remain open for all with an entry fee of Tk 20 per person from 10 am to 8 pm everyday until November 21. However, school students will enjoy a free entrance.