Staff Reporter :
The Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF)-2022 attracted huge crowds yesterday and traders did brisk business. Visitors walked in with friends, family members, and colleagues to shop for a range of products. Exhibitors had on display local and foreign goods, including electronics, apparel, jute and leather products, furniture, plastic goods, handicrafts, and food items.
On January 1, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the 26th edition of DITF declaring ICT products and services as the “products of the year 2022”.
The largest annual commercial and trade event of the country is being held at its permanent venue – “Bangabandhu Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Centre ” – at Purbachal, on the outskirts of the capital, for the first time.
Organizers said visitors started thronging the fair since morning. After the Juma prayers, the crowds
began to swell and long queues formed at the ticket booths. Many traders expressed satisfaction with their sales yesterday, especially considering the limited turnouts and poor sales on the initial days of the international event.
This year a total of 225 stalls, including 23 pavilions, 27 mini pavilions, 160 stalls and 15 food stalls, have been leased out to various local and international organisations.
The venue will feature a prayer room, children’s play area, office rooms, medical rooms, guestrooms for officials and store rooms.
Previously, it used to be held at Agargaon but it was too small to accommodate the large number of participants and visitors.
The gate of the international trade fair will open at 10 am every day and close at 9 pm. On government holidays, the fair will run till 10pm. Ticket price for the adults has been fixed at Tk 40 while at Tk 20 for minors.
The government will provide a transport facility as 30 BRTC buses have been pressed into service in this regard. These will run from Kuril flyover to the fair venue from 8am to 10pm every day. Visitors will be able to travel in these buses with a minimum fare of Tk 30.
The Dhaka International Trade Fair was first held in 1995. Due to Covid-19 pandemic, it was not possible to organise the fair last year.
