20th DITF begins today

FE Report
The 20th Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) 2015 will begin today (Thursday). Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will formally inaugurate the fair at 11:00 am at Sher-e-Banglanagar in the capital.
"We are going to arrange a good fair. All preparations have been made in a transparent way. There will be tight security for the visitors," Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed told the media at a press briefing at the fair premises on the day.  
Apart from local companies, other companies from India, Pakistan, China, Malaysia,  Iran, Thailand, the United States, Turkey, Singapore,  Australia,  Britain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Germany will also take part in the exposition.
The number of pavilions in the fair stands at 97 while mini-pavilion 58, stalls 351, restaurants 10 and 4 mother and children care centres.
The month-long fair will open at 10:00 am and will continue till 10:00 pm everyday.  The entrance fee for the adult has been fixed at Tk 30 while for non-adult Tk 20.
The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), which is under the Ministry of Commerce (MoC), is  organising the fair. It expects 75,000- 80,000 visitors to visit the fair daily this year.
In 2010, the DITF got export orders worth Tk 228.6 million while in 2011 Tk 250 million, in 2012 Tk 431.8 million, in 2013 Tk 1.57 billion and in 2014 800 million. The organiser of the fair expects more export orders this year (2015).
The fair organiser has made it compulsory for all stalls, mini-pavilions and stalls to set up fire extinguishers. The law-enforcing agencies will install 80 close-circuit cameras at the fair premises to ensure security.   
Products like machineries, carpet, cosmetic and beauty aids, electrical and electronics, jute goods, leather and leather goods and footwear, sport goods,  sanitaryware, toys, stationary, watches, jewellery, ceramics, tableware, locally made apparels, cable, melamine, processed foods, furniture and handicrafts will be sold in the fair.
The Directorate of the National Consumers Rights Protection (DNCRP) will have a separate booth in the fair to look after anti-adulteration activities.    
Replying to a question, the commerce minister said, "We have initiated a move for building a permanent trade centre within the next three years as we have already got 20 acres of land at Purbachal. The Chinese government will provide Tk 2.70 billion for building it".  
He called upon the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) not to wage any movement that harms the country's economy.
Senior Secretary of the MoC Hedayet Ullah Al Mamoon and Vice- Chairman of the EPB Shubhashish Bose, among others, were present.  
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com