31st Dhaka International Trade Fair to begin on January 1

The 31st Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) is set to begin on January 1. The fair has been held since 1995. For many years it was organised at Agargaon, but since 2022 it has been jointly organised by the Ministry of Commerce and the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) at Purbachal in Rupganj, Narayanganj district.

Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir will inaugurate the fair on January 1, 2027 as chief guest at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Centre. Commerce Secretary Sharaf Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury and Md Fazlul Haque, administrator of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), will attend as special guests, according to EPB sources.

On October 29, EPB invited tenders for goods supply, services and infrastructure work across six sectors for the month-long fair. The work includes building the fair infrastructure, decoration, security, cleanliness and publicity.

According to the tender notice, EPB began receiving bids from interested firms on Tuesday. The deadline for submitting bids is 4pm on November 17, and the bids will be opened at 11am on November 18 in the presence of the bidders.

EPB Vice-Chairman Mohammad Hasan Arif told Prothom Alo on Wednesday that the bureau has held meetings over Zoom with Bangladeshi embassies abroad and written to them to increase foreign participation in this year’s fair. “We believe foreign firms will respond well this time,” he said.

Every year, one product is declared the “Product of the Year” at the trade fair’s opening ceremony. Paper and packaging was the product of the year for 2026. Asked whether this year’s product has been decided, the EPB vice-chairman said not yet, but work is under way.

The fair’s work has been divided into six lots. The first lot covers organising the opening ceremony and related supplies, including the design, printing and supply of invitation cards, souvenir books, car stickers, VIP and general passes, folders and letterheads.

For the opening ceremony, decoration and publicity material must be installed at the Bangladesh Secretariat and other important places, roads, road islands, squares and footbridges across the capital. The first lot also covers the stage, seating, lighting, decoration, photography and videography of the opening ceremony at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Centre, as well as gifts for local and foreign guests.

The second lot covers construction and decoration of the fair’s main infrastructure. Stalls, pavilions, food shops, booths and temporary prayer spaces will be built inside and outside the exhibition halls. It also includes decoration of the fair secretariat, supply of tables and chairs, and covering the boundary wall with tin.

The second lot also includes a plan to build an exhibition installation showcasing Bangladesh’s export products and EPB’s work. A “Sobar Age Bangladesh” gallery or pavilion will be built in memory of those injured and martyred in the Language Movement, the Liberation War and the July 2024 movement. Seating for senior citizens, a coffee corner and a cultural centre will also be built, along with the main and VIP gates and beautification and lighting of the whole venue.

The third lot covers cleaning of the exhibition halls, toilets, open areas, the front road and the car parking area during the fair, along with collection and removal of waste and supply of waste bins.

The fourth lot covers production and supply of documentaries, promotional videos, television advertisements and other digital content to publicise the fair. Paid promotion must run on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, X and LinkedIn, and the results and statistics must be reported to EPB.

The fifth lot covers overall security of the fair, including hiring trained private security personnel, installing and operating CCTV cameras, setting up archways and hand-held metal detectors, and supplying vehicle-search equipment.

The sixth lot covers organising the closing ceremony, including building the stage, lighting, sound, LED screens, photography and videography, preparing invitation cards, and supplying trophies and certificates for the best pavilion, stall and restaurant.

EPB’s notice says separate bids must be submitted for each lot. Tender documents can be collected from EPB’s administration branch at the TCB building in Kawran Bazar. Each lot’s tender document costs 1,000 taka, which is non-refundable. Bids must be submitted to EPB’s administration branch. The notice adds that the authorities may cancel any or all bids without showing cause.

At the 148th board meeting of EPB held on August 18, 2025, a decision was taken to change the name of the DITF. The meeting was chaired by Sheikh Bashiruddin, then commerce adviser of the interim government.