The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) will take over Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Center, a permanent exhibition center of International Trade Fair (ITF) in current July from the Chinese construction company. The trade fair is expected to start at the new venue from 2021 which is under construction in the Purbachal model town of Rupganj of Narayanganj. However, doubts have arisen about holding the fair.
It is learned that the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina realized the need for a permanent venue due to insufficient space. In view of this, it was decided to build permanent large exhibition center at Purbachal. The Beijing Institute of Architectural Design (BIAD) has drawn developed the original design of the Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Center. The builder of the exhibition center is China Estate Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd. They will hand over the Exhibition Center to the EPB in July. After that, a few different types of fairs will be organized. There are also plans to host some fairs based on plastic and food.
According to the design, there will be arrangement of parking 1500 at the Exhibition Center. The center will have more than eight hundred shops, hall rooms and international quality conference centers, trade information centers, meeting halls, press center, service rooms and power substation.
EPB officials said the construction of the Exhibition Center in the Purbachal model town area of Rupganj in Narayanganj for the trade fair is in the final phase. According to the Minister of Commerce the trade is expected to be held there from 2021. However, it is not certain whether the fair will be held here next year. Because in the present Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, where the fair is organized, the area is 32 acres. But the designated site of the trade fair in Purbachal is 26 acres. In the present Sher-e-Bangla venue cannot well accommodate the ITF then in less area how it will accommodate the ITF. However, a proposal demanding more 12 acres of land has been sent to RAJUK in this reagrd.
Director General of EPB Avijit Chowdhury told barta24.com that progress on the construction of the Bangladesh China Friendship Exhibition Center was almost at the final end. We will take over the project in next July from China's construction company. From next year, we are planning to organize a trade fair here, for the first time, to see if there is any problem.
Asked if there was any final preparation for organizing the fair in Purbachal, he said there is less space in Purbachal than where the fair is currently held. As a result, there are some problems. Also, the communication system is not as well developed; buyers will have to see if there is any problem, there is also some structural problem. We have to think whether the trade fair can be held next year.
While visiting Purbachal's Exhibition center it was found that the last-minute construction of the Trade Fair Exhibition Center is underway. The interior of the exhibition center is almost finished. Outside work is also underway. Some new walls are being built. The painting is given on the boundary pillars. Some road works are also underway.
Construction of 'Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Center' began in July. Although the construction work was supposed to be completed in 2018 but it was not possible. The cost of constructing a permanent trade fair center was estimated at Taka 1303 crore 50 lakh. However, the original cost of the project was estimated at Taka 275 crore. From there, it was set at Taka 796 crore. Next more Taka 507 crore was added. However with the enhancement of the estimate more new items were added.
It should be noted that the first day of every year ITF begins. Customers from across the country gathered at the fair throughout the month.