Dhaka trade fair unlikely soon
The commerce ministry's plan to begin the Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) from March did not get the go-ahead from the government because of the ongoing pandemic, said Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi yesterday.
After failing to start the largest exposition in Bangladesh on January 1 due to the rogue virus, the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) of the commerce ministry, the organiser, had planned to inaugurate it on March 17.
But the high-ups of the government did not give the permission, Munshi said.
"So, I can't specifically say when the DITF will be held this year. However, I can say that the fair would be organised at a convenient time this year," he said at the handover ceremony of the China-Bangladesh Friendship Exhibition Centre (CBFEC).
Set up over 20 acres of land in the capital's Purbachal, the centre will be the next host of the event as the government shifted the venue from Agargaon to this permanent site – a move that will help city-dwellers get rid of traffic congestion during the month-long exposition.
The new venue has 800 booths over 33,000 square metres of floor areas. Among the facilities, it has conventional halls, car parking, conference rooms, cafeterias, children play area, store rooms and guest rooms.
The centre was built at a cost of Tk 1,303.5 crore. China provided Tk 625.70 crore as a grant.
A consortium of Beijing Institute of Architectural Design Co Ltd and Shenyang Engineering Supervision and Consultation Co Ltd jointly designed and supervised the construction work of the venue.
China State Construction Engineering Corporation was the contractor of the CBFEC.
During the virtual ceremony, Li Jiming, Chinese ambassador to Bangladesh, said the construction of the CBFEC was a symbol of friendly relationship between the two countries.
"The economic and trade relations between China and Bangladesh will continue to strengthen in the future," he said.
China is the largest trading partner of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh imported goods worth $14.5 billion from China in fiscal 2018-19. It fell to $12.14 billion in the last fiscal year because of the pandemic-related business slowdown.
China is also becoming a growing export destination for Bangladesh on the back of rising shipment of garment items.
In fiscal 2019, Bangladesh shipped goods worth $831.2 million though exports dropped to $600.1 million in the last fiscal year, data from the EPB showed.
Masud Bin Momen, senior secretary to the foreign affairs ministry, Md Jafar Uddin, commerce secretary, and Fatima Yasmin, secretary of the Economic Relations Division, also spoke.
Comments