Staff Reporter :The government has permanently allocated 20 acres of land at the city’s Purbachal for Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF).Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said this at a press briefing arranged by the Export Promotion Bureau in the DITF’s Secretariat at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the city on Wednesday. The minister said, the Chinese Government had agreed to provide Tk 270 crore as loan for the project, which will be materialised in three years.Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the fair today at 11:00am (Thursday). He requested the opposition political parties not to call hartal or create anarchy taking the importance of the trade fair into consideration. The minister read out a written statement that detailed about the fair on 31.53 acres of land, which will remain open between 10:00am and 10:00pm from January 1 to 31.The entrance fee is fixed Tk 30 for adults and Tk 20 for children. The organisers expect about 75,000-80,000 visitors everyday. It says, the number of pavilions are 97 of different categories, mini pavilions 58, total stalls 351, restaurants 10 and mother and child nursing centres four.Some 15 countries from four continents-Asia, North America, Australia and Europe-are taking part in the fair. The countries are India, Pakistan, China, Malaysia, Iran, Thailand, the UK, Turkey, Singapore, Australia, Britain, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Germany and Bangladesh.Machineries, carpet, cosmetics and beauty boxes, electrical and electronics, jute made products, leather, leather goods and footwear, sports goods, sanitary wear, toy, stationary, watch, jewelry, ceramics, tableware, local cloths, cable, melamine, processing food, fast-food, furniture and handicraft will be sold.The law enforcers, BGB, the private security firms, watch tower, metal archway, metal detector and under vehicle mirror will meet the security emergency.Besides, 80 close circuit cameras have been installed, which Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) to monitor. It depicts, the Dhaka International Trade Fair received export order of Tk 22.86 crore in 2010, Tk 25 crore in 2011, Tk 43.18 crore in 2012, Tk 157 crore in 2013, and Tk 80 crore in 2014.There are separate zones for restaurants. A system has been set with integration of Consumer Rights Preservation Directorate, District Administration and police to test quality of food.Separate toilets for male and women have been arranged. Besides, the fire controlling machines and primary treatment and flood donation systems have been set.
