DITF sees majority visitors from nearby areas

The Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) on the second day saw the majority of the visitors from the nearby areas.

The total number of visitors on Sunday came down to just a half of that of the opening day, as the biggest trade fair being held on the premises of the Bangabandhu Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Centre at Purbachal is yet to be prepared.

"On the first day, around 9,000 visitors came to the fair. The number of visitors today (Sunday) is the half," Mir Shahidul Islam, the assigned authorities for selling tickets at the fair, told The Business Standard.

He, however, hoped that the fair would get its momentum next week. "This is common for every year's fair."

"Majority of the visitors are curious people from nearby areas. They came to see the fair at the new venue," said Md Masum, in-charge of Partex Furniture outlet at the fair.  

It would take at least a week to draw visitors from all distances, he told The Business Standard.

Visiting Sunday's fair, sounds of hammers making different stalls were heard. Workers were seen busy making and painting stalls or arranging products. Most of the stalls inside the fair were unprepared.

This is the first time the fair is being held on the outskirts of Dhaka. Earlier, it took place at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the Agargaon area.

A visitor Shariful Islam came to the fair from Purbachal Neela Market and bought a Ruti-maker. "We are happy that the fair is taking place near us. We can come with families now and then."

He told this correspondent that he came to see the fair and buying was not his intention.

However, many visitors expressed their frustration as they found the fair ill-prepared on the second day.

"It is not okay. We came from Mirpur which is at least 20 kilometres away from here, but we did not find the fair prepared at all," Md Sumon, a visitor told this correspondent, while strolling inside the fair.

"The ground of the fair is still full of dust and workers are making stalls. Then why should people come to the fair now," said another visitor Selim Uddin.

They suggested that the authorities needed to get the fair ready before its inauguration. They also expressed disappointment over the dilapidated condition of the road to the fair venue.

Contacted, Mohammad Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, director of the fair organising committee and secretary of the Export Promotion Bureau, said many of the companies could not prepare their stalls yet for different reasons.

"We hope all the preoperational works would be completed within the ongoing week," he told The Business Standard.

On transportation, he said most parts of the road were cleared and there will be more people coming to Purbachal than in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.

The number of stalls in the fair this year was almost half compared to that of the previous years, he said, adding, "Even after our allotment, many people applied for stalls but were not granted allocations."

Mohammad Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said less number of stalls have been allocated to facilitate the movement of people.