Shah Alam Nur :
The ongoing trade fair has come as blessings for thousands of young girls, mostly students, helping them to savour the taste of job world even before graduation.
The Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) 2016, which has already passed a 19 day has employed more than 8000 young ladies as part-timers who are expected to take home around Tk 200 million in remuneration, officials said.
The sales executives, known as ‘stall girls’, want to capitalise on such experience in other areas in future, many of them said while talking to The New Nation. Most of the sales girls have come from public and private universities and colleges.
“I’ve taken a temporary job at the fair just to pass the time as I have recently completed my honours final examination. Now I don’t have any academic pressure,” Afsana Parvin, a sales executive of Golden Harvest, told The New Nation on Tuesday.
Within a short time, Parvin said she would complete her master’s degree, but she doesn’t have any work experience. “The fair opens up a golden opportunity for me to gain experience in marketing,” she said.
Jharna Mukta, who has graduated from Eden College and is now working at RFL stall, said the trade fair has enabled her to earn extra money. “I have applied to several private firms, but I am yet to get any job lacking work experience.”
During the fair, Mukta said she would earn Tk 20,000, which will be spent to defray her tuition fees.
According to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) office, 553 stalls and pavilions have been set up at the fair apart from restaurants.
Bangladesh, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the USA, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, China, the UAE, the UK, Germany and South Korea are taking part in the fair and selling a variety of items like machinery, carpets, cosmetics and beauty products, electronics, jute, leather and sports goods, sanitary products, toys, ceramics, fabrics, processed foods, furniture and handicrafts.
Sharmin Nahar Nure, a student of North South University working at a jewellery shop, said she came her along with one of her friends. “My aim is to earn some extra money and gain experience to get job.”
Nesat Tasnim, sales executive of Runner Automobiles Ltd (RAL), a local bike maker, said she came here with temporary job. If she could show better performance, her job would be regularised in the company, she added.
Tanha Nur said she has a specific reason for taking up the part-time job: “I am studying Political Science at Titumir College and live in Nakhalpara with my ageing mother. It is not possible for me to get a permanent job before completing my studies.
“So this temporary job will help fend for my expenses.”
Jahan Mukta, a fresh graduate from Begum Badrunnesa Govt Girls’ College, the trade fair came as the opening door. “I have applied to several organistaions since my graduation but I am yet to get a call from any prospective employer. Finally, I got this job at trade fair for a month,” said the girl, engaged for now with Pran-RFL stall at the fair.
Usa Flora from Thailand, who has been organising the Thai pavilion for several years, said, “Those interested in working at the Thai pavilion need to submit their CV to the Thailand embassy. We make calls from the CVs submitted.”
Shubhashish Bose, Vice Chairman of Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), said the participating companies have appointed more than 8,000 ‘stall girls’ as sales executives for one month.
“Many of the students come here to meet their needs. They are working at different pavilions or stalls as temporary sales executives.”
He expressed the hope that these girls would make at least Tk 200 million if daily remuneration of Tk 500 per.
He said the fair has opened up the path to students and unemployed youths to gain work experience while also gaining extra money.
He said the bureau has no data on the number of salesgirls employed at the fair, but said each organisation has recruited average 7-10 employees.
