Permanent fair site in city by 2011: Faruk
Wednesday, 30 December 2009
FE Report
Construction of a permanent state-of-the-art fair centre in the city is likely to begin within next three months, Commerce Minister Faruk Khan said Monday.
The project, to be implemented with the technical and financial assistance of the Chinese government, would be the venue for all types of fairs including Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF), the minister said.
"From 2011, DITF will have a permanent site where the runway of the old airport in capital's Tejgaon is now located," he said adding that the cost was estimated at Tk 2.65 billion (265 crore) of which China had offered to provide Tk 2.20 billion.
Mr Khan informed this at a press briefing at the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) office on the ensuing fair premises.
The commerce minister said, the government expects that the upcoming DITF will change the two-year trend of declining export orders.
"Export orders will rise this time," he added.
The month-long 15th DITF, organised by the Ministry of Commerce and the EPB, will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on January 1.
According to records, export orders from the fair in 2006 amounted to Tk 247.8 million. But it shrunk to Tk 226 million in 2008 and Tk 199.1 million in 2009.
The USA, Thailand, China, Turkey, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, Iran, South Korea and Hong Kong will showcase their products in 28 pavilions, mini-pavilions and stalls, the EPB office announced.
EPB has also informed that Tk 138.2 million was earned from tickets in 2009, against production costs of Tk 85.6 million.
Tickets will cost Tk 15.00 each for adults and Tk 10.00 each for children, up from Tk 12.00 and Tk 7.00 respectively of the last DITF.
The commerce minister said prices of tickets were raised to provide better public facilities as well as to control mass entry to the fair.
"No such fair on earth has a lower entry fee than ours. But if the tickets are made too cheap, too many people will come to the fair, which may create certain problems."
There will be seven special pavilions, five premier pavilions, 60 general pavilions, four premier mini-pavilions, 45 general mini-pavilions, 35 premier stalls, 308 general stalls, 12 restaurants and 10 drinks kiosks at the fair.
Construction of a permanent state-of-the-art fair centre in the city is likely to begin within next three months, Commerce Minister Faruk Khan said Monday.
The project, to be implemented with the technical and financial assistance of the Chinese government, would be the venue for all types of fairs including Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF), the minister said.
"From 2011, DITF will have a permanent site where the runway of the old airport in capital's Tejgaon is now located," he said adding that the cost was estimated at Tk 2.65 billion (265 crore) of which China had offered to provide Tk 2.20 billion.
Mr Khan informed this at a press briefing at the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) office on the ensuing fair premises.
The commerce minister said, the government expects that the upcoming DITF will change the two-year trend of declining export orders.
"Export orders will rise this time," he added.
The month-long 15th DITF, organised by the Ministry of Commerce and the EPB, will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on January 1.
According to records, export orders from the fair in 2006 amounted to Tk 247.8 million. But it shrunk to Tk 226 million in 2008 and Tk 199.1 million in 2009.
The USA, Thailand, China, Turkey, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, Iran, South Korea and Hong Kong will showcase their products in 28 pavilions, mini-pavilions and stalls, the EPB office announced.
EPB has also informed that Tk 138.2 million was earned from tickets in 2009, against production costs of Tk 85.6 million.
Tickets will cost Tk 15.00 each for adults and Tk 10.00 each for children, up from Tk 12.00 and Tk 7.00 respectively of the last DITF.
The commerce minister said prices of tickets were raised to provide better public facilities as well as to control mass entry to the fair.
"No such fair on earth has a lower entry fee than ours. But if the tickets are made too cheap, too many people will come to the fair, which may create certain problems."
There will be seven special pavilions, five premier pavilions, 60 general pavilions, four premier mini-pavilions, 45 general mini-pavilions, 35 premier stalls, 308 general stalls, 12 restaurants and 10 drinks kiosks at the fair.