DITF 2020: Weekend sales surge

Sales at stalls and pavilions of various products in the 25nd International Trade Fair (DITF) jumped yesterday as a huge number of visitors, with families and friends, thronged the venue at the weekend.

A significant rise in the number of visitors was witnessed on the day, compared to last week, and the traders were found busy attending their customers.

Traders and shopkeepers said the fair was getting momentum from this week compared to last week. Clothes, plastic items, home appliance, electronic items were on the priority list of the customers, they said.

Nirjona Bostro Bitan, a stall of female cloths, was so crowded on Saturday that there was barely any space to move in it.

Santa Islam, sales executive of the stall, said: “Today the presence of customer is good but on Friday it was double because of holiday. But we are happy that customers in large numbers are coming and our sale has increased from what it was before.”

‘Last year we received some orders; we hope this year we will receive more orders," she said.

“On days other than the weekends, we sell 10-12 coats in a single day, but this Friday we sold around 100. Till noon today, we sold 50 coats and hope this will increase till night," said Mohammad Jahid, manager of King Fashion.

Bodiuzzaman from Mugda, who came with his daughter, said: “Today is my day-off. My daughter’s school is also closed. So I came to buy something new from this fair.” 

‘In the fair we can buy goods from foreign stalls. The companies also give discount. So every year we come to buy something new," he added.

Crowd was also found at Mukta Pavilion, run by differently able people. Marketing Manager Saiful Islam said that on Friday their turnover was around Tk5 lakh, while on Sunday it was more than Tk1 lakh till noon.

“We are selling plastic food grade and oven-proof items along with Mukta drinking water. The number of buyers is increasing. So is our sale,” he said.

Meanwhile some consumers complained about the high price of food and clothes items at the fair.

“Though most companies are giving discounts, but some product price is high. Especially, the food item price is very high," said Sharmin Akter, who came to the fair from Narayanganj. 

"Earlier customers came to see and check the products only. But from this week they are coming to buy. Our products are aimed at middle-income people. On weekends this crowd surges manifold," said Sabbir Ahmed Shakil, pavilion-in-charge at Walton.

The 25th edition of DITF 2020 began on January 1 at Agargaon in Dhaka. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the fair.

According to the Export Promotion Bureau, there are 483 stalls of different organizations from 21 countries including Bangladesh this year.