DITF anomalies
As a local resident, I have been visiting the annual International Trade Fair in Dhaka since its inception. This year I visited the site around noon on 6 January for about two hours; and came back rather disappointed.
International trade fairs are organised for promoting the exports of the host country and for generating interest about the products offered by the foreign stalls. For Bangladeshi stalls, the focus has to be on export; but the stalls of the exporters could not be distinguished by displays, and lack of data, charts and graphs, and written materials, for publicity. The RMG sector was hiding somewhere (it covers around 75 per cent of BD exports). We have had enough experience for fine tuning DITF to improve the handling every year. No BD pavilion of what we export!
It was surprising to note that the local stalls were selling/retailing foreign goods not manufactured or assembled in BD. The atmosphere was like a local shopping centre. The products displayed did not carry information about the products; for comparative studies. The BEPZA stalls or booths or information kiosks were not easy to locate.
No printed materials were available readily and visibly, for later study and filing. The public address system was blaring with extra loud vocal music, without interruptions for informative announcements.
The field officials were not visible in uniform. Why data and information were being hidden?
The foreign stalls also had no literature for distribution, nor kept in sight for free pick up. The whole show looked like a local affair, with lack of international flavour.
Planning was poor -- no attention to details. It is inexcusable that there was no arrangement for taxi stands, for thousands of visitors daily. One had to walk from a long distance after alighting from rickshaw. Why this patronisation for private cars? Many visitors were exiting with heavy bags of purchases, and had to face the non-availability of public transport. In Bangladesh, there is no respect for the commoner; and the restrictions on the cycle rickshaws are most unjustified (here there were lots of families with children).
The planning appeared to be bureaucratic, and unpractical. The authorities concerned have to clarify the state of affairs.
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