DITF draws good number of visitors on first holiday

FE Report
The Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) drew a good number of visitors on Friday, the first holiday after beginning of the fair on January 1.
However, traders said the fair is yet to get momentum as the people are enjoying three days' holiday outside Dhaka.
Besides, a good number of stalls and pavilions are still incomplete as they failed to bring in their products at the fair due to two-day hartal.
 "We have started the fair during strike and on the first Friday we are expecting a lot of visitors in the fair. But a few number of visitors started coming to the fair after Juma prayers," Tanin Bangladesh Marketing Corporation assistant manager (sales and marketing) Md Rabiul Hussain told the FE.
He said the sale is unexpectedly bad. He attributed it to long three days' holiday.
Anisur Rahman, one of the owners of SS Handloom, said: "We have started displaying our Jamdani sarees after the noon as we failed to reach the venue timely due to strike."
"After participating in the fair on Bijoy Mela at Chittagong, we came here and a big amount of sarees will come tomorrow and then we will start displaying our products full-fledgedly," he said.
Sony Rangs launched two new smart phones named C3 and T2ultra. And new LED TV named X-Protection PRO which is humidity, dust, and cold proof.
Walton introduced two new mobile phones -- TA5 and Primo 2 and a lot of new kitchen appliances in the fair.
Traders are offering discounts and gift on different types of products to attract the visitors.
Regarding the number of incomplete stalls and pavilions, DITF member secretary Rezaul Karim said most of the stalls and pavilions are complete while around 10 stalls and pavilions are yet to be completed.
A total of 500 stalls will display different products like  machinery, carpets, clothes, jewelry, cosmetics, toys, food, electronics, jute products, leather goods, sports items, sanitary and many other items.
Different companies from home and abroad will display their products at 500 stalls and 97 pavilions. There are 58 mini pavilions, 351 stalls and 10 restaurants in the fair.
Some 48 stalls have been allocated to foreign companies and the rest to local companies. Some 14 countries including India, Pakistan, China, Malaysia, Iran, Thailand, the US, Turkey, Singapore, Australia, UK, UAE, South Korea and Germany are participating in the fair. There are nine stalls put up by women entrepreneurs.
The fair is open to visitors from 9am to 10pm. The entry fee for an adult is Tk 30 and for a minor Tk 20. The fair will continue till January 31, 2015.
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