Old wine in new bottle

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Despite clichéd title, Dhaka International Trade Fair 2015 offered visitors with innovative stall decoration and product packages

That is right. Packages were the hit of this year’s fair among visiting consumers. The usually shady ‘buy one and get ten free’ offer was rehashed and reinforced, as stall owners feared backlash and black-listing by the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB.) Not only that, most of the biggest brands and conglomerates had these offers where, for a meager price, they stashed off bundles of their best products and gave it away as part of their package bundles. I was happy yet devastated to be carrying the bundles of Nabisco, Romania, All-time (PRAN) and New Zealand Dairy Products. Anything more would have resulted in death by gravity pulls from the overweight bundles.

What is new?

DITF-2015 was expected to provide an immense opportunity for both buyers and sellers to establish contacts with national and international companies. The fair will exhibit a huge variety of products, including textile and garments, leather and leather goods, including footwear, machinery and equipments, pharmaceuticals, carpets, chemical and allied products, cosmetic and beauty aids, dairy products, electrical and electronic items, food stuff, gift and novelty items, handicrafts, household appliance, furniture, building materials, sports goods, sanitary ware, toys, stationary, watches and clocks and jewelry etc.

Despite nationwide blockades by BNP, turnouts were more than substantial on weekends and evenings on the working days. ‘We had gotten poor response during the initial blockade days from January 6. It created obstacle to product transportation. We had earned only around Tk. 3,000 per day during the first three days, which was very unfortunate. Usually we sell products worth Tk. 100,000 to 150,000 per day at DITF,’ said Md Mirajul Islam, a representative of Bulbul Textile Industries Ltd. ‘We’ve paid Tk 230,000 for the stall in the fair, but we are not able to do business here for different problems, rather than the Fridays.’

Shanok Barua, a salesman of Delhi Aluminum, said usually the visitors rushed to their stall to buy aluminum and stainless steel-made products. The participants alleged that they are facing problems to get power and water supply in the fair. They claimed that they are facing power cut in morning and water supply disruption in washrooms in morning and evening every day. A total of 97 pavilions, 58 mini pavilions, 351 stalls and 10 restaurants have been set up on the fair premises. Some 48 stalls have been allocated to foreign companies, and the rest to local companies. There are nine stalls, set up by women entrepreneurs. Some 14 countries, including India, Pakistan, China, Malaysia, Iran, Thailand, US, Turkey, Singapore, Australia, UK, UAE, South Korea and Germany, are participating in the fair.

‘We have seen many offers and discounts,’ said Shahana Shafiuddin, a proud DITF visitor and housewife, ‘If I didn’t have any problem to carry heavy weight luggage I would had buy more household things. You know, I like discounts and offer. Like if you buy ice-cream of TK 100 you will get an extra ice-cream. I bought a packet of milk powder and got a watch for my son. I bought tooth brushes which were TK 37 at outside, and they took TK 25 in the fair. I got TK 200 discount at Nivea lotion, TK 350 discount at my son’s full pant (from SmartTex). I saw stalls of India, Pakistan, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Korea, Iran etc (Allah knows whether they actually from which country). My son liked to ride toy train. I ride on them for twice. We saw these mini kids play area in 3 places. They were not in very good quality but good enough for city kids, who doesn’t have much space to play.’

Expectations magnanimous

Being a modern furniture brand, Hatil celebrates the idea of minimalism in every piece it creates. ‘Slim is smart’, the much celebrated tagline of Hatil has a lot more to do rather than just communicating a design philosophy. ‘It portrays a ‘green theme’; we must preserve the environment from deterioration,’ commented Selim H. Rahman, CMD of Hatil Complex Ltd. while talking at Hatil Premier Pavilion in Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) 2015.

During visit it was seen that stalls of local companies are attracting the low- and middle-income buyers.  Mostly, they are crowding the stalls of Walton, Runner, MyOne, Jamuna, RFL and some other local companies. The traders have also expressed satisfaction due to the increasing trend of public gathering from the beginning of the fair.

Walton authority says with its existing models, Walton have brought 30 new models of television, refrigerator, air-conditioner, motorcycle, mobile and home appliance products.

Md Obaid, a salesman at the Pakistan Pavilion at the DITF, said political instability has been hampering their sales at the fair. ‘We had set up the stall here to make Kashmiri garment items familiar to the people. We had expected higher sales,’ he said.

Meanwhile, illegal makeshift stalls at the DITF are hampering the dignity of the mega trade event and causing sufferings to the visitors and participants. The unauthorized stalls, installed at different corners and open space at the fair venue, were seen selling dolls and different food items. Many floating vendors were also selling cigarettes at the fair premises while many visitors were seen smoking.

The on-duty police personnel and the fair authority hardly took any initiatives to eject the illegal stalls. Sources alleged that the makeshift stall owners have been running their businesses illegally by bribing a few officials. A makeshift stall owner seeking anonymity told this correspondent that he had to pay a handsome amount to operate his stall at the DITF. He, however, refused to give details of the persons he had paid the bribes to.

Md Arman, a visitor at the fair, expressed frustration over the presence of unauthorised stalls at the fair, saying that the illegal stalls are spoiling the beauty of the events. Md Rezaul Karim, (Deputy Secretary) Member of DITF 2015 committee and Deputy Director of Export Promotion Bureau, however, said there were no such illegal stalls at the fair. He also said that they are alert to check installation of unauthorized stalls at the fair venue.

How this helps us

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told businessmen to increase productivity to survive in the competitive world of today while opening the Dhaka International Trade Fair. She is correct to observe that quality and productivity are not areas where the country can afford to stand still, but must constantly keep improving, as once Bangladesh becomes a mid-income country exporters may lose some LDC facilities and the country’s industries will need more than ever to be able to compete at a global level.

The DITF’s 516 stalls and pavilions offer a welcome annual platform for businesses of all sizes to showcase their products and attract new customers. With countries such as Australia , China, Germany, India,  Turkey, UK and the US taking part in this year’s fair, events like this are vital to help businesses attract new customers and grow their exports.

The interest generated by the fair provides a valuable reminder to businesses and consumers alike of the potential of Bangladesh’s economy. Countries such as China and South Korea have used export-led growth as the base to lift millions of their people out of poverty. There is no reason why Bangladesh cannot do the same.

The government should keep working with the private sector to improve infrastructure and speed up the expansion of special economic zones. Creating a more amenable environment for investors is vital to help businesses deliver the improvements  needed to support healthy growth in exports.

 

 

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