Home ›› 12 Dec 2021 ›› News
The small and medium entrepreneurs have called for extending the 9th National SME Product Fair, which is set to conclude on Sunday. Stall owners made the request stating that the event did not get many visitors on the first two days due to heavy downpour across the country.
They added that if the authorities concerned extend this deadline for two more days, the move will allow participating entrepreneurs recover losses, encourage more people to visit the fair, and ultimately, help boost the local handicraft industry.
Speaking to The Business Post, entrepreneur of TH Fashion Urmi Akter said, “We incurred losses in the first three days off the fair. We sold goods worth Tk 1,500 and Tk 3,000 on the first and second days respectively as the presence of visitors was low due to inclement weather.
“Our daily sales expectation was around Tk 30,000 during that period.”
Echoing the same, transgender entrepreneur Israt Jhahan Toma said, “Almost no visitors came to the fair on the first two days due to rainfall. Deprived of customers, the entrepreneurs could not sell their products.
“If the authorities extend the deadline for two days, more people will be encouraged to visit this event. This will allow us to further advertise our products, and help us recover from the losses we had incurred in the first two days.”
A significant number of visitors on Saturday also spoke in favour of extending the fair to support locally made products, stating that the increase in deadline will help many who could not visit earlier due to rain.
S A Selim, who was visiting the fair from Gazipur’s Kapasia union, said, “Extending the fair would allow more sales of locally produced goods, and entrepreneurs will be able to recover from losses incurred during the first two days.
“The authorities should consider the entrepreneurs’ request to inspire them.”
Another regular visitor of the fair, Sindra Hossain said, “Handicraft lovers could not enjoy the fair for two days due to rain. The authorities should give the visitors more time.”
Responding to a query, Small and Medium Enterprise Foundation’s Chairman Md Masudur Rahman said, “We are taking the entrepreneurs’ request into consideration. However, the fair’s schedule was set in coordination with different government and private organisations.
“The enthusiasm of both the entrepreneurs and visitors has been amazing. We will consider organising the next fair in a larger area and with more time to boost locally made handicraft products in local and global markets.”
The 9th National SME Product Fair has 325 stalls, and it began on December 5 in Dhaka’s Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.
