Is DITF proof of widening per capita income?

Bangladesh’s per capita income was $1,909 last fiscal year, from $1,751 a year earlier. And proof of this improved wealth can perhaps be found if one visits the ongoing Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF).

Customers have flocked to the month-long exhibition and they do not seem worried about penny-pinching: most were seen leaving the venue with bags full of various items.

Both branded and non-branded stores witness a healthy turnout of customers daily, said a number of DITF stall owners.

After speaking to a number of visitors and sales personnel, it was understood that people come to the fair in search of choice products at discounted prices.

Photo: Star

However, visitors were also displeased with the fair’s arrangements and lack of exclusive products.

Many also came to the fair without specific purchases in mind. One such visitor is Md Nuruddin Khan, who is a government official.

Although Khan left with simple household products, he wanted to treat the fair as though it were a festival despite there being a decidedly lack of international flavour.

Like Khan, Anadi Bushan Das, a Dutch Bangla Bank official, said that he only bought practical items such as crockeries.

While non-branded products were costlier at the DITF than in the regular market, branded items were sold at discounted prices.

“The non-branded stalls are committing fraud with the customers, who are clueless about brands and quality. People are purchasing regular products like biscuits and crockeries from the fair at exorbitant prices as if they have extra spending money,” Das added.

Begum Rokheya Parosh bought a Samsung smart television as the brand offered extra facilities such as cash back or after sales gifts for purchases made at the DITF.

She apparently had no intention of buying the Tk 35,000 television but changed her mind after seeing the offers on hand.

Similarly, housewife Saima Siddique bought a Turkish Cinderella doll for Tk 3,500 for her son, Abser Ehsan, just because the child liked the product.

Photo: Star

Best Buy, a popular retail chain for household products and electronic appliances, has about 3,000 products with attractive discounts on display at their pavilion at the DITF, where customers have flocked to enjoy slashed prices.

At present, people want all kinds of household goods under one roof for their convenience. For that reason, Best Buy has become a popular destination for people from all walks of life, said Rahat Zahan Shamim, chief operating officer of Best Buy.

Customers can enjoy up to 30 per cent discount on purchases from Best Buy’s DITF pavilion, while home delivery for products such as furniture worth upwards of Tk 3,000 is free, he added.

Farhad Hossain, service holder at a corporate house, bought a fair number of blazers from the Fit Elegance stall for Tk 5,600.  Hossain said that due to his official working environment and the good quality of blazers on sale, he was compelled to make the purchases with his credit card.