DITF is yet to find its feet

What goes in the name of Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) has so far largely remained a misnomer. Although local manufacturing companies and industries have an opportunity to showcase their products, except a handful, the rest target local consumers for retail business at the venue each year. The 13th DITF was no exception to this yearly practice. In fact, slimmer presence by foreign countries reportedly made the just-concluded occasion less attractive to visitors. What is even more worrying is that only 20 per cent of the 471 stalls and pavilions at the fair did what is expected of them - to exhibit local products doing justice to their names. These products well compare with their foreign counterparts or even enjoy an edge over the latter. The task of branding Bangladesh is what ought to be the goal at such a trade fair. But unfortunately companies and industries miss the wood for the trees. This hardly serves the purpose of holding such a big event.

This year was understandably a bad year for such an event. The country was reeling from the political shockwaves and thus the trade fair had its inauguration on January 11 instead of the usual day one of the month. So, not all local manufacturers were interested to use the occasion effectively for business promotion abroad. That foreign buyers too were less interested in this year's event is evident from the bare fact that the participants at the DITF received orders of only Tk 804 million this time as against Tk 1.57 billion last year. The net amount this year is half as much of that of last year. However, it would be unfair not to admit that the entire exercise leaves much room for improvement. Foreign buyers and investors cannot be attracted on account of a number of systemic weaknesses. The standard of DITF is yet to reach the point where foreigners will make it their yearly rendezvous in order to exchange views and place orders for Bangladeshi products. The local manufacturers producing quality products also find it pointless to make the most of the occasion because of the same reason; rather they rely on their own channels and contacts for business promotion.

Clearly, something very vital is missing in terms of a coordinated effort from the process. An international trade fair cannot primarily focus on retail sale of household goods. By the look of it, one gets the impression that the fair is meant for such shopping for local consumers. Instead, manufacturers will have their pavilions open for instant information of local brands that are either equal or superior to similar products elsewhere. Even power-point representation can suffice where the entire lots cannot be exhibited for reasons of inconvenience. Seminars and workshops within the trade fair venue scheduled months before may be arranged here to project products of different manufacturing units with their plus points. That is how foreigners will feel confident of the country's ability to deliver commodities according to their demands. When this happens, the DITF will do justice to its name and purpose.