Must seek alternatives to apparel products for export: CCCI president

Bangladesh must seek alternatives to apparel products in order to achieve the $60 billion export target by 2021, Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) President Mahbubul Alam said on Tuesday.

He added the best option would be to export non-traditional products.

Mahbubul made the recommendation during a press conference for the 28th Chattogram International Trade Fair (CITF), held at the Bangabandhu Hall of the World Trade Centre Chittagong in Agrabad.

CCCI is organising the 28th CITF 2020 set to begin on March 5 at the Railway Pologround field in the port city.
"People of Chattogram eagerly wait for this fair and our purpose is to promote the products of our region – which is also in the best interest of traders," said CCCI president.

Syed Jamal, chairman of the organising committee, said at the press conference that for the occasion of the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation, there would be a separate 2,340 square feet Bangabandhu corner.

He also said that like all other previous fairs, Thailand is partnering again in organising the event. Some 400 institutions will take part in the fair with 470 stalls.

The fair will be open every day from 10am to 10pm. The ticket price has been set at Tk15. Five lakh tickets will be distributed among students from playgroup to the seventh grade for free.

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi is expected to formally inaugurate the month-long fair at 3pm on Thursday.

Deputy Education Minister Barrister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury, along with MP MA Latif, Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry President Sheikh Fazle Fahim, and Chattogram Metropolitan Police Commissioner Md Mahbubur Rahman will attend as special guests at the inaugural ceremony.

Among others, CCCI Director and Co-chairman of the organising committee AKM Akhter Hossain, and directors Md Jahurul Alam, Anjan Shekhar Das, and Md Abdul Mannan Shohel, were also present at the press conference.