A photo shows visitors crowding the premises of the Dhaka International Trade Fair-2013 at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital on Friday. — New Age photo

The Dhaka International Trade Fair-2013, which began on the New Year Day, drew a large number of visitors on Friday, the second weekend after the start of the trade show.
An increased gathering of men and women especially youths were seen in a hurry at all ticket counters to enter the fair premises at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the city on the day.
Export promotion Bureau and Ministry of Commerce jointly organised the show on the 12.5-lakh square feet venue.
‘Daily average turnout of the visitors hit over one lakh. We are hopeful of earning Tk 45 crore including all expenditures from this year’s show’, Shubhashish Bose, vice-chairman of EPB, told the news agency.
Bose credited the possible revenue earning to the introduction of online trading, eco-park with theme of Sundarban, e-park, smoking zone, separate foreign zone and countdown clock.
‘Every year I wait for the fair to purchase household necessities because I get discounts here. I use to come to the fair on every Friday round the month every year,’ said Mahmuda Sheuli Akhter, a visitor of the show.
‘My child Samayel was overwhelmed with joy all the way to the fair premises,’ said Fahrina Rahman, another visitor.
Majority of the visitors were seen assembling at different stalls which were displaying home appliances, kitchenware and textiles or clothing items.
Different local companies including Walton Hi-Tech Industries Ltd, MyOne and Marcel have increased their item’s sales this year by offering competitive price, price discounts and improved services.
Kamruzzaman Opu, pavilion in- charge of Walton, said increased interest of visitors’ had been shown for locally-made products especially electronic goods.
‘We’ve brought 136 models of locally made electronic products including TV, android LED TV, refrigerator, motorcycle, air conditioner, generator, micro oven and mobile set,’ said Opu.
M Salauddin, proprietor of Lucky Jamdani Weaving Factory, a traditional clothing manufacturer, is displaying ‘tant’ and ‘jamdani’ saris, said the main objective of his company’s participation is to know the customers’ choice and attitude so that the quality of traditional jamdani clothing could be improved unrestricted.
Thirty companies from twelve countries are participating in this year’s fair. Japan and Singapore are new entrance in the show.