The 29th edition of the Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) witnessed an increase in sales for the first time on Friday amid the presence of a large number of visitors purchasing products at discounted prices at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Centre at Purbachal in the capital.

Since the beginning of the fair this year, sellers have failed to attract buyers to their stalls as the number of consumers was fewer on last Friday, the first weekly holiday. However, people did not miss the opportunity to explore the fair venue and buy their desired products on the second weekend.

Buyers and visitors started entering the fair premises immediately after the gates opened at 10am. They visited various stalls and shopped. Huge crowds gathered in home appliances, winter wear and food stores. Comparatively, the electronics and furniture stalls and pavilions were less crowded.

Dina Sultana, who came from Jatrabari and visits the fair every year, said she bought a cooker and an electric kettle with a 15% discount apart from some food items and a few toys on Friday.

“The best thing about the trade fair is we get good discounts on products not available at local stores. So, I come here to buy the products I need,” she added.

Many sellers have offered buy-one-get-one-free, while some offered five to 10 gifts with one product. On average, most stalls have offered discounts of up to 10-50% on prices.

Shahin Ahmed, a sales executive of Turkish Carpets, said their carpets are imported from Turkey. They were receiving good responses from buyers.

“Since it was a holiday, our sales increased. Besides, our discount offers have attracted buyers to purchase products of their choice,” he added.

Consumers expressed mixed feelings about the fair. While many appreciated the organisers for starting the event promptly this year, they found it challenging to visit on working days due to the distant venue. Additionally, several attendees raised concerns about high product prices, subpar food quality at the restaurants and inadequate seating arrangements.

According to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), there are 362 stalls and pavilions this year, with participation from seven countries – India, Pakistan, Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Hong Kong.

On 1 January, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus inaugurated the 29th DITF jointly organised by the Ministry of Commerce and the EPB.

The fair will run daily from 10am to 9pm, with entry fees set at Tk50 for adults and Tk25 for children.