Plan to expand trade fair with new land and multi-storey buildings

Staff Correspondent, N’ganj:

New initiatives are being taken to enhance the structural capacity and overall scope of the Dhaka International Trade Fair. As part of this plan, six acres of land currently under the Public Works Department will be transferred to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB). If necessary, multi-storey buildings will be constructed there.

Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin shared these plans while speaking as the chief guest at the closing ceremony of the Dhaka International Trade Fair on Saturday at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Center in Purbachal.

At the beginning of his speech, he paid tribute to the martyrs of the 1971 Liberation War and to those who were martyred or injured during the July-August events of 2024. He said the nation now dreams of building an equitable society in exchange for their sacrifices. Ensuring economic stability and foreign investment across all sectors of the state requires a safe and orderly environment. Under the leadership of the Chief Adviser, the current interim government is working tirelessly toward that goal.

The Commerce Adviser said building a developed, prosperous, and inequality-free Bangladesh is now the main expectation of the people and the nation’s collective aspiration.

Expressing regret that a permanent solution to transportation difficulties to and from the fair has yet to be achieved, he noted that maximum efforts had been made to repair roads. He expressed hope that access to the fair would be easier and more comfortable in the future.

Highlighting the importance of the fair, Sheikh Bashir Uddin said the display of household goods, industrial products, consumer items, and promising export products had increased public interest. The fair gives citizens an idea of the country’s production capacity and inspires new innovations.

He also noted that many domestic producers do not participate in the fair. He urged that the EPB board consider offering affordable or even free participation opportunities for those who wish to showcase products for exhibition rather than for direct sales.

The adviser emphasized the need for EPB to play a more effective role in ensuring newly developed products reach consumers at affordable prices.

Among those present at the closing ceremony were Commerce Ministry Secretary Mahbubur Rahman; FBCCI Administrator Abdur Rahim Khan; EPB Vice Chairman and CEO Mohammad Hasan Arif; Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Almgir Hossain; and other concerned officials.

At the ceremony, it was announced that total sales at the 30th Dhaka International Trade Fair reached BDT 3.93 billion. In addition, export orders worth BDT 2.2426 billion were secured during the fair.

According to EPB, product sales at this year’s fair increased by 3.42 percent compared to last year, reflecting growing consumer interest and confidence in domestic products.