Bangladesh to take part in International Autumn Fair 2004

Commenting on the participation of Dhaka in IATF 04, which will run during December 12-16 at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre (DIEC), senior officials of the Consulate General of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, said that over the years, the trade show has benefited businesses from Dhaka, helping them to establish their credentials in the highly competitive Middle East market.

Mr. Kamrul Ahsan, Consul General of the People's Republic of Bangladesh in Dubai said: "Trade between Dhaka and the regional countries is also on the rise, encouraging us further to make concerted efforts to grow the presence of Bangladeshi goods in this market."

Mr. Ahsan said trade with the UAE has grown by over 22 per cent in 2004 and the trend is expected to continue in the coming years as more and more Bangladeshi companies deepen their presence in the regional market, particularly in the UAE.

"Trade with the UAE between July-June 2003-2004 was to the tune of US$244.74 million compared to US$202.78 million in the previous corresponding period," said Mr Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, Commercial Counsellor of Bangladesh in Dubai. Major exports of Bangladesh to the UAE include cigarettes, vegetables, readymade garments and jute products, while imports from the UAE are predominantly petroleum products.

At this year's edition of IATF 04, the Bangladesh pavilion comprising 10 companies would display a wide range of high quality exportable items including jute goods, readymade garments, silk and cotton sarees, embroidered quilts, handicrafts, ceramic and melamine tableware, tea, biscuits, other food products, cosmetics, herbal products and dry cell batteries.

Commenting on the participation of Dhaka at IATF 04, Mr. Satish Khanna, General Manager, Al Fajer Information and Services, organizers of the show, said: "Over the years IATF has grown in stature as a highly interactive trade show that reflects the pulse of the regional consumer goods market. Every year, exhibitors from various countries world over eagerly look forward to IATF, which is an established and successful platform for traders to make inroads into the Middle East market."

"We are delighted at the decision of Bangladesh to be part of this show, which will definitely throw open many avenues for Bangladeshi businesses, helping them to deepen their presence in the regional market," he said.

Most Bangladeshi participants are from the private sector, except the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC), the leading public sector enterprise. The pavilion will be organized by the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) of the Government of Bangladesh in cooperation with the Consulate General of Bangladesh in Dubai.

"We consider IATF 04 as a unique opportunity to introduce Bangladeshi entrepreneurs to the Middle East market. The openness of the Gulf economies, particularly that of the UAE, is the most important factor in attracting Bangladeshi businesses to Dubai. The multicultural character of the UAE society, its tremendous tourist inflow and the professional skills of the organizers are the driving forces behind Bangladesh's participation in the event," Mr. Bhuiyan said.

He said Bangladeshi manufacturers and exporters are also keen to use the re-export facilities offered by Dubai to reach out into the markets of Gulf, North Africa and Central Asia.

Mr. Khanna said that IATF 04 is bigger than last year with over 600 companies taking part from 25 countries compared to 507 exhibitors from 23 countries in the last edition. "This show has grown by 30 per cent compared to the earlier edition and we expect 17,500 trade visitors to the show, up 15 per cent from 15,236 buyers last year, he added.

IATF 04 will have six national pavilions, occupying 75 per cent of the 15,000 square metre exhibition space. The national pavilions include 200 exhibitors from China, 235 from Hong Kong, 10 from Bangladesh, 20 from Indonesia, 15 from India, 15 from Mauritius, 10 from Italy, 10 from Turkey, 25 from Iran, 5 from Romania, 5 from Croatia and 50 from the UAE.