4th Heritage Handloom Festival draws crowds of foreign visitors
Government ministers, officials, ambassadors, and local and foreign buyers and sellers visit the four-day fair every day
The second day of the 4th Heritage Handloom Festival in Dhaka was busy with many foreign nationals and ambassadors, which experts think will help introduce our traditional products abroad.
Festival organisers said the fair aimed at designer product development. Government ministers, officials, ambassadors from different embassies, and local and foreign buyers and sellers visit the four-day fair every day.
On Thursday, a special "Friends of Bangladesh Day" programme was organised at the Gulshan Shooting Club for diplomats from different countries, representatives of international organisations, and foreign nationals staying in Bangladesh.
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Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, chief guest at the programme, said the government was working to bring back the glory of the country's traditional products, including muslin, which can play an important role in brightening the image of Bangladesh in different countries.
The High Commissioner of India and the Ambassador of Japan were special guests at the function. Association of Fashion Designers Bangladesh President Mantasha Ahmed highlighted various aspects of the festival.
SME Foundation Managing Director, Md Mofizur Rahman, presiding over the programme, said buyers from many countries and ambassadors from some countries visited the fair on Thursday. He hoped the festival would attract more local buyers than before.
Tareng Manipuri handicraft entrepreneur, Niranjan Sinha, told The Business Standard (TBS) he got a fairly good response on the second day. Some bought products while others just surveyed various items and took phone numbers to order later. She hoped the number of visitors would increase in the remaining two days.
Ishrat Jahan Chowdhury, founder of the "Tulika" brand of jute products, told TBS that 70-80% of the market for jute products is abroad and foreign nationals here in Dhaka now have an opportunity to see and evaluate products at the fair themselves.
"I am optimistic that we will receive big foreign orders," she added.
The online page of the festival features 50 stalls displaying weaving products, live fashion shows, documentaries on the history of the products, providing buyers ideas about the products, and online seminars for buyers.
Some fashion design universities and institutes, including the University of Dhaka, BGMEA-Santa Maryam University, Uttara University, and the Institute of Fine Arts, also participated in the festival.
The fair will run till 12 February. It is open to visitors every day from 8am to 10pm.
