According to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), the month long trade fair would continue upto February 8 at its usual venue in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in Dhaka.
“Usually we organize the fair on January 1 but it is not possible this year (2019). It will be difficult to organize in one day after completing the election on December 30, since law enforcement and other administrators will have to be busy then,” Avijit Chowdhury, Director General of EPB, told UNB.
“Besides, we cannot understand who will come in power after the election. However, Prime Minister’s Office has approved a letter to organize the fair on the 9th,” he said. “We will complete all tasks of the fair by the month and stalls allotment will also be completed within December 31.”
Some 20 pavilions will be reserved for women entrepreneurs at DITF 2019. More than 550 stalls and pavilions would showcase quality goods produced at home and abroad.
Avijit Chowdhury also reported a “good response” from foreign traders looking to participate in the fair.
“This year, we get good response from abroad traders. Around 50 applications have been submitted from foreign organizations till now,” he said.
The EPB Director General further said that the mega-event would shift to a permanent venue in Purbachal, where work on building it is ongoing, in 2021.
The traditionally month-long fair starting on the first day of the New Year in the Gregorian calendar, has been jointly organized by the EPB and the Ministry of Commerce since 1995.