Exhibitors at the Jatiya Brikkho Mela 2015, the annual plant fair being held in the capital’s Agargaon area, expressed frustration over the poor turnout of visitors and customers.
The participants of the month-long fair that started on June 18 cited the lack of publicity and ongoing Ramadan for the low visitor flow.
Organisers of the fair told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday that the fair was supposed to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. But it was not possible because of her busy schedule.
“The prime minister could not officially inaugurate the fair on the two scheduled dates. However, we have a new date, July 10, for the premier to inaugurate the fair,” said forester Mohammad Abdus Salam.
He also hoped that the fair would gain momentum once the prime minister opened it and the Ramadan ended.
Taslima Akter, a visitor said: “I thought the plant fair would start from July due to the Ramadan. But two days ago I heard that the fair had already started.”
In reply to a question, the forester claimed that the Department of Forest, the key organiser of the fair, might extend the fair.
He further said a total of 89 nurseries were exhibiting more than 500 species of local and foreign flowers, fruits, timber and other varieties of plants in the fair this year.
Mostofa Kamal, proprietor of Pushpa Kanan and Iqbal Nursery said due to the poor presence of visitors their business was comparatively slower than the previous years.
“If Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had launched the fair on the scheduled date, the media reports would have drawn more visitors,” he said.
Mostofa said his shops had more than 250 items of different flowers, fruits, ornamental and medicinal plants with new species of Thai mango.
“On an average we are selling about 5,000-6,000 trees and saplings each day worth about Tk15,000. But last year we sold about 15,000-20,000 trees everyday day worth about Tk50,000,” he said.
