Negligible presence of foreign visitors-cum-buyers has utterly frustrated the export-oriented manufacturers who are exhibiting products at the Dhaka International Trade Fair that began on January 11.
The country’s biggest trade fair that attracts visitors from both home and aboard so far failed to attract the visitors especially the foreigners, up to the expected level. Local manufacturers usually get some export orders from the month-long event.
Participating export-oriented manufacturers have expressed their frustrations and feared getting less spot orders this year, as the fair has so far witnessed fewer foreign visitors due to the delayed start amid political unrest.
Bangladesh had bagged spot orders worth Tk157 crore from both domestic and foreign buyers last year.
“It will take little time to see more visitors and we are hoping to see more visitors in the coming days as the political situation has been improved,” AFM Manzur Kader, secretary of Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) told the Dhaka Tribune.
“We are hoping for more spot orders from the buyers this year as a European union team has confirmed us to visit the fair tomorrow (today),” he added.
Generally, Navana Furniture exports its products to India and had got very positive response in the last year’s fair. “We have not yet welcomed any foreign visitor from the neighboring countries. Let alone rest of the world,” said Md. Manik Dewan, assistant manager sales of Navana Furniture.
“Although one or two visitors visited our pavilion, they did not place any order,” said Ashok Kumar, an assistant manager (Retail Sales) of Partex.
In the first quarter of the current fiscal year, Bangladesh exported furniture worth $15.36m, which is 15.32% higher as compared to $13.32m of the same period in 2012.
Home Tex, an export-oriented home textiles manufacturing company, witnessed not a single foreign visitor or buyer. They usually come to place orders during the trade fair, said H.M. Ali Imama, a sales executive of Home Tex at DIFT.
The country’s home textile exports have already seen a 6.30% decline comparing with the earning of previous year. This sector has been able to earn $350.20m in the first half of the current fiscal year.
The turnout of the visitors, both the local and global, is still low comparing to the previous years due to the political unrest, Md Zakaria, in charge of stall of Bexi Fabrics, told the Dhaka Tribune.
“Though the fair is branded as ‘International Fair’ but it has so far failed to upgrade its level in terms of quality and facilities, which is vital for attracting overseas visitors,’’ said a sales executive of plastic product producer on condition of anonymity.
Export earnings from plastic products also marked a 7.73% decline to $38.22m in the first half of FY2013-14 compared to $41.42m in July-December 2012.
Every year, the Export Promotion Bureau and the Ministry of Commerce jointly organise the month-long DITF at the capital’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area.
The trade show was scheduled to start from January 1 as usual, but it opened on January 11, as the commerce ministry had to defer following a request from around 100 participants in the wake of the political unrest.