Star Business Report
Businessmen bagged Tk 20.59 crore ($3 million) worth of export orders from the 14th Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF), which came to a close yesterday. “Spot orders show that the products showcased at the fair have international market demand,” said Commerce Minister Faruk Khan, releasing the statistics.
Speaking as chief guest at the function, the minister, however, said the links a fair creates between businesspeople is more satisfying than the volume of spot orders.
“A fair is a place where a cross section of people such as manufacturers, exporters and importers come together. The participants use the DITF as a venue to compare their products,” Khan said.
The minister has announced that the government is working intensively to build a permanent fair site in three to four years, which will resolve the difficulties of being affected by rain or wind.
Up to 35 lakh people visited the fair.
The minister hoped that Bangladesh would be able to top the list of RMG exporters in the world in three years from now in line with the sector’s growth trend.
President Iajuddin Ahmed inaugurated the month-long fair on January 1, which was later extended by seven days.
A total of 467 companies and organisations, including 22 from 12 other countries, took part in the fair co-organised by the commerce ministry and the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB).
The participating countries include India, Pakistan, Singapore, Thailand, USA, UAE, Japan and Germany. Sri Lanka was the partnering country of DITF-2009.
Commerce Secretary Feroz Ahmed said the government moved to diversify its exports to cut the country’s dependence on a handful of products.
President of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry Annisul Huq said it is possible to bring the annual export earnings from readymade garments to $25 billion from around $10 billion now. “But it requires strong steps to boost trade.”
“Now 12,000 trucks ply between Dhaka and Chittagong port which will increase to 60,000 and the factories from 4,000 to 12,000. But the question is if the infrastructure of the country will be able to take the load,” said Huq, urging the government to build infrastructure for accelerating trade.
At the function, the authorities awarded the fair participants in different categories, including best product quality and best decorations.
Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Bangladesh V Krishnamurti and EPB Vice Chairman Shahab Ullah also spoke.
Courtesy: thedailystar.net
