The 7th edition of the International Electric Expo Bangladesh 2023 will begin in Dhaka on March 9 with the aim of increasing exports of electrical products made in the country.

The Bangladesh Electrical Merchandise Manufacturers Association (BEMMA) and Wem Bangladesh Ltd, an event management agency, will jointly organise the three-day fair at the International Convention Centre Bashundhara.

Some 40 foreign representatives and 80 local exhibitors will occupy 120 stalls of 150 brands at the fair.

Mohammad Aftab Jabed, president of BEMMA, disclosed this information at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters Unity yesterday.

Electrical product makers from Nepal, Bhutan, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia will participate in the event, he said.

Participants and buyers will also get the opportunity to sit for business-to-business meetings, Jabed added.

Walton is the platinum sponsor of the fair while BRB Cables is the gold sponsor and Gloria and Wicon are silver sponsors.

The domestic market for electrical products and wiring solutions is growing steadily thanks to rapid urbanisation, increased availability of electricity and rising purchasing power of the people.

According to market insiders, more than Tk 5,000 crore worth of electrical products are sold each year compared to Tk 1,500 crore in 2010.

Branded products cater to 60 per cent of the local demand while non-branded local and imported goods meet the rest.

Mir Nizam Uddin Ahmed, vice president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and ABM Arshad Hossain, president of the Bangladesh Electrical Cables Manufacturers Association, were present at the press conference.