The major exhibitors at the Dhaka International Trade Fair (DIFT) expressed frustration over poor presence of visitors on the first day of the country’s biggest trade show.
On the other hand, visitors, who came to enjoy the inaugural session of the DIFT, become frustrated as most of the stalls and pavilions are still under construction.
Presence of visitors are very poor compared to the opening day of last year due to the prevailing unrest situation, said Sadekur Rahman, a salesman of Delhi Aluminium at the DIFT.
During the last year’s opening day, “we had good sales on the first day, but this year till 4pm we are yet to open our selling accounts,” he added.
“We are in a great doubt about the expected sales volume and visitors’ turnout, because of political deadlock, Mohammad Rubel Rana, executive-sales and marketing of Smartex told the Dhaka Tribune.
There will be ‘Ekhusey Book Fair’ in February, which could also cast negative impact on the
DIFT’s turnout and sales volume, he added.
Expressing his utter frustration another salesman Masud said, We sold the products worth Tk80,000 on the very first day of the last DIFT, but today it came down to around Tk10,000.
After talking to the visitors, it was learnt that visitor are not also happy with the beginning of the fair as most of the stalls and pavilions are still under construction.
‘We have come to the fair to enjoy the display of products and to choose some out of those but most of the stalls and pavilions are not yet decorated, said Md Asikur Rahman, a sixth semester student of a private university.
It happens in every year, as it takes six to seven days to start the fair in full swing and this year, it is much more complicated to complete all the stalls and pavilion before inauguration because of the looming uncertainty due to the political unrest, said commerce Secretary Mahbub Ahmed while talking to the Dhaka Tribune.