The government has postponed its plan to hold the largest ever trade fair at the permanent ground of 20 acres in Dhaka's Purbachal area from 2019. Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said, the government aims to hold the fair at Purbachal from 2020, instead of 2019. In 2015, the decision was announced to relocate the fair venue from Sher-e-Bangla Nagar to Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Centre in Purbachal.
Commerce Minister said preparation has already been completed to hold this year's fair on 31.53 acres of land in a peaceful atmosphere. "The main gate of the fair venue has been built symbolising the Padma Bridge," he said while speaking at a press conference organised in connection with the opening of 23rd Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) 2018.
DITF 2018 begins Monday (Jan 1) at Sher-E-Bangla Nagar, west side of Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC), in Dhaka. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to inaugurate the month-long fair organised jointly by the Commerce Ministry and Export Promotion Bureau.
President Md. Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages wishing the DITF 2018 a grand success, local media reports said.
A total of 589 stalls and pavilions including 64 premium pavilions, 27 foreign pavilions and eight mini foreign pavilions and also 24 food stalls are taking part in the fair. Moreover 43 foreign organisations including India, Bhutan, Pakistan, China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Nepal, Japan, Australia, Germany, Hong Kong and the Arab Emirates are participating in the fair this year.
The foreign participants will also have the opportunity to display their state-of-the-art technology to the local producers and exporters. The local producers in the remote areas of rural Bangladesh who do not have financial strength to participate in international trade fair will have the opportunity to display their products to the buyers from abroad at this fair.
There will be a digital information centre in the fair this year. There will be a DITF experience centre and e-listing of participants. Different programmes on the fair will be screened and there is a mobile app to carry out publicity on the fair.
Adequate measures have been taken by the Police Administration to ensure safety and security of local and foreign visitors. The authorities have installed 500 CCTVs as part of their security measures.
This year, Bangabandhu Pavilion has been set up on a large area as the Father of the Nation's March 7 Speech recently got Unesco's recognation as part of the world's documentary heritage. This pavilion has been given a unique touch of decoration so that the new generation and foreign visitors could know the real history of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Bangabandhu's March 7 speech will be displayed in 3D Truk beside the stall of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation in the fair venue.
DITF remain open for visitors from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. up to Jan 31 and the entry fee for an adult is Taka 30 and for children at Taka 20. DITF was first held at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar on Dec 1, 1995.
