Exhibits galore at flagship fair
Visitors emerge from the 15th Dhaka International Trade Fair 2010. The annual event has gained popularity among urban people.
The number of people crowding the 15th Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) and participating local and foreign companies is a testimony to the resilient Bangladesh economy.
Many predicted a thin turnout because the whole world is yet to recover fully from recession. But purchasing trends say otherwise.
Bangladesh shows some positive macroeconomic indicators -- remittance inflow crossing a $10 billion mark, exports in excess of $15.57 billion and the central bank reserve at over $10 billion.
The fair visitors, especially women, were busy purchasing foreign crockery items, textile products, cosmetics and jewellery.
The number of window-shoppers is also aplenty at the month-long fair, inaugurated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Agargaon in the capital on the first day of the new year.
DITF, since its beginning in January 1995, has been an opening for entrepreneurs to expand business, as foreign and local buyers visit such an exposition.
Overseas market diversification is another scope the participating entrepreneurs can cash in on.
The fair presents a wide range of products -- woven garments, knitwear, jute and jute products, frozen foods, leather and leather goods, footwear, handicrafts, agro-based products, light-engineering products, including bicycles.
Besides ceramic tableware, home textiles, household appliances, textile products, pharmaceuticals, chemical products, machinery, agriculture and gardening equipment, chemical and allied products are also put on display in the trade show.
Any visitor will also find there cosmetics and beauty aids, dairy products and equipment, electrical and electronic items, food stuff and grocery, gift and novelty items, furniture, building materials, sports goods, sanitary ware, toys and stationery, watches, clocks and jewellery.
DITF's special feature is participation of the highest number of local and foreign textiles and clothing companies, the country's main export earning sector.
Bangladesh fetched $12.347 billion from exports of readymade garment (RMG) products (woven and knitwear) in fiscal 2008-09, registering 15.26 percent growth over the previous year, despite recession.
Of the clothing items, sales of jamdanis and printed cotton saris, boutique items, three-piece suits for women and lungi reached the peak, especially among mid-income groups.
Children have a liking towards footwear, toys and food items.
"So far, sales are good. We are happy with the presence of customers at our stall," said a salesman at Standard Lungi and Sari stall.
He said the demand for printed saris and traditional lungi is high among busy office-going people and businessmen, as they do not otherwise have the time to buy those items from shopping malls.
A section of customers alleged that many companies were selling cheap Chinese imitations, labelling them Thailand, India and Bangladesh.
Talking to The Daily Star, a salesman at Thai Collection, which displays shoes and other leather products, said their sales were good, as demand for their products is high.
"DITF is an opportunity for us to sell a hefty portion of our imported products," he added.
In a statement, Shahab Ullah, vice chairman of Export Promotion Bureau, the organiser of the fair, said the One District One Product initiative for product diversification will gain pace through the trade show.
He said export earnings of Bangladesh are not that considerable, as it depends on a few major products only. Bangladesh exported 171 items to 189 countries in FY 2008-09 and earned $15.57 billion.
Among the export items, only six such as woven garments, knitwear, frozen foods, jute goods, leather and chemical products contributed about 87 percent to total exports. The remaining 165 items accounted for only 13 percent, Shahab Ullah said.
"To maintain pace with globalisation and compete, dependence on such a limited number of products is not desirable and will never be a good strategy for overcoming the problems related to exports," he said.
A total of 476 national and international companies are participating in the fair to showcase their products, of which, 28 pavilions came from 10 different countries. The major foreign participating companies are from India, Pakistan, China, Sri Lanka, Iran, Malaysia and Thailand.
The show is scheduled to conclude January 31.
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