Job bonanza for young girls at DITF

Shah Alam Nur | Published: January 27, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00

The ongoing trade fair has come as blessings for thousands of young girls, mostly students, helping them to savour the taste of job world even before graduation.
The Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) 2015, which has already got a 10-day extension, has employed more than 7,000 young ladies as part-timers who are expected to take home around Tk 140 million in remuneration, officials said.
The sales executives, known as 'stall girls', want to capitalise on such experience in other areas in future, many of them said while talking to the FE. Most of the sales girls have come from public and private universities and colleges.
"I've taken a temporary job at the fair just to pass the time as I have recently completed my honours final examination. Now I don't have any academic pressure," Afsana Parvin, a sales executive of Golden Harvest, told the FE.
Within a short time, Ms Parvin said she would complete her master's degree, but she doesn't have any work experience. "The fair opens up a golden opportunity for me to gain experience in marketing," she said.
Jharna Mukta, who has graduated from Eden College and is now working at RFL stall, said the trade fair has enabled her to earn extra money. "I have applied to several private firms, but I am yet to get any job lacking work experience."
During the fair, Ms Mukta said she would earn Tk 20,000, which will be spent to defray her tuition fees.
According to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) office, 508 stalls and pavilions have been set up at the fair apart from restaurants.
Bangladesh, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the USA, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, China, the UAE, the UK, Germany and South Korea are taking part in the fair and selling a variety of items like machinery, carpets, cosmetics and beauty products, electronics, jute, leather and sports goods, sanitary products, toys, ceramics, fabrics, processed foods, furniture and handicrafts.
An official of the Export Promotion Bureau, which organised the fair said the participating companies have appointed more than 7,000 'stall girls' as sales executives for one month.
"Many of the students come here to meet their needs. They are working at different pavilions or stalls as temporary sales executives."
He expressed the hope that these girls would make at least Tk 140 million if daily remuneration of Tk 500 per. Â
Sharmin Nahar Nure, a student of North South University working at a jewellery shop, said she came her along with one of her friends. "My aim is to earn some extra money and gain experience to get job."
Nesat Tasnim, sales executive of Runner Automobiles Ltd (RAL), a local bike maker, said she came here with temporary job. If she could show better performance, her job would be regularised in the company, she added.
Shubhashish Bose, vice-chairman of the EPB, said the fair has opened up the path to students and unemployed youths to gain work experience while also gaining extra money.
He said the bureau has no data on the number of salesgirls employed at the fair, but said each organisation has recruited average 7-10 employees.
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