The yearly Dhaka International Trade Fair kicks off today, in which 47 foreign companies from 12 countries are participating.

Organised by the Export Promotion Bureau and the commerce ministry, the fair has 506 stalls and pavilions showcasing products and services at home and abroad. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the fair as the chief guest.

The month-long trade fair at the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital will be open from 10:00am to 10:00pm every day. The entry fee for an adult has been fixed at Tk20 and for a childTklO.

Commerce Minister GM Quader yesterday briefed journalists on the fair at the temporary office of the Export Promotion Bureau on the fair site.

He said the organisers expected that one lakh people would visit the fair every day as besides an exhibition of products, the fair would also be considered a good place for an outing in the favourable weather condition in this period of the year.

The government gives special incentives to foreign companies every year to encourage them to come to the fair, Quader said.

Commerce Secretary Ghulam Hussain said the

commerce ministry, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha and the public works ministry had been working together to develop a permanent fair complex at Purbachal Satellite Town.

A permanent venue for the trade fair was earlier set to be constructed at the old airport in the city's Tejgaon. But the decision was cancelled when a Chinese construction firm refused to make an underground parking system at the main fair venue.

Finally, the government decided to construct the permanent venue at Purbachal, Hussian said.

Many foreign companies do not want to participate in a month-long fair and that is one of the major reasons behind thin participation of foreign companies in the fair, he added.

He said the commerce

ministry did not allow any trading company this year in the fair. "Rather, we have allocated stalls for manufacturing and production companies so they can showcase locally made products to customers for gaining greater market access."

The ministry is expecting more spot orders than last year that had spot orders worth Tk25 crore. The spot orders in 2010 amounted to Tk22.86 crore.

Among the major products, machinery, carpets, cosmetics and beauty products, electrical and electronics, jute goods, leather goods, sports goods, sanitary products, toys, ceramics, locally made fabrics, cables, processed foods, furniture and handicrafts will be showcased on the 1.25 million square feet venue of the 17th trade fair.