Window Of Hope?

Can the Dhaka International Trade Fair 2018 salvage SMEs from the abyss?

Traders, although initially worried whether sales would meet their expectations at the Dhaka International Trade Fair, can put their tension at rest as the turnout is seeing bright numbers as compared to the previous years. ’It seems sales is good this year as turnout is satisfactory,’ said Mosharraf Hossain, who was selling veils at an Iranian pavilion at the fair venue at Sher-eBangla Nagar in the capital. Traders from India, China, Pakistan, Malaysia, the UAE, Singapore, Thailand, the US and Turkey are taking part in the fair, according to Export Promotion Bureau, which has coorganised the exhibition in association with the Ministry of Commerce.

“A total of 520 stalls and pavilions have been set up in 14 categories. There are 64 premier pavilions, 36 mini-premier pavilions, 17 general pavilions, 25 minigeneral pavilions, 4 reserve pavilions and 6 mini-reserve pavilions,” EPB sources said. A total of 27 foreign pavilions and 7 foreign mini-pavilions are also up for display.

The weekends, as always, are pulling huge crowd numbers. Mahmud, a student who came to attend the fair with his friends said, they came to the fair in the morning as the crowd is bearable during that time and it’s easy to move around. But after the Jummah prayer, the crowd grew larger and larger, he added.