Commerce Minister: DITF to be held if Covid-19 situation improves

Likely date has been fixed after seeing Export Promotion Bureau

Dhaka International Trade Fair (DIFT) 2021 will be arranged if the coronavirus situation improves, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said on Sunday.

The minister made the announcement at a digital program at the Secretariat. Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming handed over the Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Centre (BCFEC) to the minister almost at the event. 

“A possible time was fixed upon discussion with the Export Advertising Bureau (EPB) to set up the trade fair and we got primary approval in this regard. Then Primary Minister Sheikh Hasina asked us to move slow as a result of coronavirus circumstance. The set up of the trade fair fully will depend on the Covid-19 situation,” said Munshi. 

Although the trade fair was scheduled to be held at its everlasting venue at the BCFEC in Purbachal, it really is even now uncertain when it'll be arranged. 

The government has a plan to carry all trade and export exhibitions at the BCFEC to any extent further, said the minister. He likewise expressed expectation that the centre will help increase export from Bangladesh. 

The work on the project started out in October 2017 with around cost of Tk1305.50 crore including Tk625.70 crore assistance from China. Chinese organization China State Engineering Engineering implemented the project. 

The BCFEC has all of the requirements for a world-class venue including hall rooms, conference centres, trade information centres, meeting halls, press centre, service rooms, modern car parking, round-the-clock CCTV and even its power substation. 

In line with the EPB, there have been 483 stalls of numerous organizations right from 21 countries including Bangladesh in the 25th edition. Around Tk200 crore in export orders had been received by Bangladeshi organizations at the country's most significant trade express in the 25th edition.