Trade fair starts drawing big crowd
Saturday, 9 January 2010
FE Report
Traders in foreign pavilions in the month-long Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF)-2010 are enjoying significant customer's turnout in the first week since inauguration on January 1, 2010 but complained over mismanagement and non-cooperation from the authority.
Customers' response in the first week was satisfactory, Mohammad Islam, a trader in the Pakistani Pavilion told the FE.
He said Pakistani garments and fancy ornaments have caught the attention of Bangladeshi female customers this year.
Muhammad Jafar Askari, trader in an Iranian Jewelry shop at the trade fair echoed the statement of Mr Islam and said 'customers turnout deteriorated a bit due to unusual cold weather for the last couple of days.
"DITF is a month long event, so major customer turnout starts from second week," Mr Askari said adding that they are expecting a better business this year.
Fikret Cicek, General Manager of Turkish carpet shop in the fair also expressed satisfaction over customer turnout in the first week and said the long wave of cold weather gave a boost to his carpet sell.
In 28 allotted pavilions, foreign participants from USA, Thailand, China, Turkey, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, Iran, South Korea and Hong Kong are showcasing their products in the country's largest annual carnival.
Presence of foreign pavilions brings color to the annual trade fair aims to promote Bangladeshi exportable products to local and foreign buyers.
"We wait the whole year for the trade fair as this annual event gives us opportunity to enjoy shopping local and foreign products at the same place," Jakiya Sultana, a university student said.
Iranian ornaments and carpets, Kashmiri shawl, Pakistani and Indian ladies garments, Hyderabadi churi are grabbing prime customer's attentions. Beside, shops of Chinese product, Korean electronics, and cosmetics from USA, Germany and Malaysia are gaining significant customer's attention.
However, traders in foreign shops in DITF-2010 complained over mismanagement and lack of cooperation from the organisers.
"We are being charged every time we bring anything inside the fair irrespective of items or their quantity," foreign participants complained to the FE.
They said their hand bags are being checked in the name of security measures and being charged by 'extra tickets' at the gate.
"I was charged four extra tickets for bringing in a stainless still rod of five-feet long to hang cloths in the shop," a trader claimed adding that they have not received any preventive action against repeated complaints from the authority.
Source from Export Promotion Bureau, the organiser of the trade fair however denied receiving any complaints and assured taking preventive action in case of any mismanagement.
Traders in foreign pavilions in the month-long Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF)-2010 are enjoying significant customer's turnout in the first week since inauguration on January 1, 2010 but complained over mismanagement and non-cooperation from the authority.
Customers' response in the first week was satisfactory, Mohammad Islam, a trader in the Pakistani Pavilion told the FE.
He said Pakistani garments and fancy ornaments have caught the attention of Bangladeshi female customers this year.
Muhammad Jafar Askari, trader in an Iranian Jewelry shop at the trade fair echoed the statement of Mr Islam and said 'customers turnout deteriorated a bit due to unusual cold weather for the last couple of days.
"DITF is a month long event, so major customer turnout starts from second week," Mr Askari said adding that they are expecting a better business this year.
Fikret Cicek, General Manager of Turkish carpet shop in the fair also expressed satisfaction over customer turnout in the first week and said the long wave of cold weather gave a boost to his carpet sell.
In 28 allotted pavilions, foreign participants from USA, Thailand, China, Turkey, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, Iran, South Korea and Hong Kong are showcasing their products in the country's largest annual carnival.
Presence of foreign pavilions brings color to the annual trade fair aims to promote Bangladeshi exportable products to local and foreign buyers.
"We wait the whole year for the trade fair as this annual event gives us opportunity to enjoy shopping local and foreign products at the same place," Jakiya Sultana, a university student said.
Iranian ornaments and carpets, Kashmiri shawl, Pakistani and Indian ladies garments, Hyderabadi churi are grabbing prime customer's attentions. Beside, shops of Chinese product, Korean electronics, and cosmetics from USA, Germany and Malaysia are gaining significant customer's attention.
However, traders in foreign shops in DITF-2010 complained over mismanagement and lack of cooperation from the organisers.
"We are being charged every time we bring anything inside the fair irrespective of items or their quantity," foreign participants complained to the FE.
They said their hand bags are being checked in the name of security measures and being charged by 'extra tickets' at the gate.
"I was charged four extra tickets for bringing in a stainless still rod of five-feet long to hang cloths in the shop," a trader claimed adding that they have not received any preventive action against repeated complaints from the authority.
Source from Export Promotion Bureau, the organiser of the trade fair however denied receiving any complaints and assured taking preventive action in case of any mismanagement.