Visitors seek new designs, discounts

A three-day jewellery fair that opened in Dhaka yesterday witnessed, as per the organisers, a good turnout of visitors, a number of whom cited that they were looking for new designs, discounts and potential wedding gifts. 

About 50 entities are participating in Bajus Fair-2023, organised by Bangladesh Jeweller's Association (Bajus) and open from 10:00am to 9:00pm at International Convention City Bashundhara.

Among the visitors were 60-year-old Mohammad Abul Kashem and his wife bargaining over the price of some jewellery meant for their son's upcoming wedding.

"I cannot get the design I want," said Kashem, adding that they were also looking for discounts. "I have never been to this kind of fair before. It feels good," he said.

A private firm employee, Ismat Mustary, was looking for jewellery to gift at a wedding alongside buy some for herself.

A number of optimistic participants informed that purchases had been "quite good" by a "good number" of people from different segments of society arriving, said Dewan Aminul Islam Shahin, vice-president of Bajus.

Such fairs here have quite a long way to go but the industry had the potential to do well exporting to international markets, he said.

Bangladesh is far behind the Middle East and India in trading jewellery, said Mohammad Shamsuzzaman, marketing manager of Amin Jewellers.

People's confidence in the purity of gold available in Bangladesh is still low and this fair will play an important role in addressing this, he said.

The organisers hope for the fair's showcasing of the latest designs to give the country a better standing in the global gold jewellery trade and thereby improve the local industry.

There is no reliable information about the demand for gold in Bangladesh. The government's gold policy puts it at 20 tonnes to 40 tonnes per year.

According to commerce ministry documents, almost 80 per cent of it was met through smuggling while the rest from recycled gold.