The 30th Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) 2026 will begin on January 1 at the Bangladesh–China Friendship Exhibition Centre in Purbachal, with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus set to inaugurate the month-long event.
Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman announced the details at a press conference at the venue on Monday. Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) Vice Chairman Hasan Arif, Additional Secretary (Export) Abdur Rahim Khan, and EPB Director General Baby Rani Karmakar were also present.
The commerce secretary said stalls and pavilions across categories have been allocated online this year, while e-ticketing has been introduced alongside on-spot ticket sales, allowing visitors to enter by scanning QR codes.
To ease access, Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) will operate dedicated shuttle bus services, complemented by concessional rides through the Pathao app.
An “Export Enclave” has been set up to showcase EPB activities and the country’s export capabilities. A special “Bangladesh Square” will feature still photographs commemorating the Language Movement of 1952, the Liberation War, and those injured or martyred in the July 2024 movement. Sector- and product-based seminars will also be held during the fair.
Dedicated electronics and furniture zones will cater to foreign entrepreneurs, while seating corners for senior citizens, two children’s parks, and an open cultural centre have been arranged.
Reserved stalls have been allocated for women, persons with disabilities, and cottage, handloom, textile and handicraft entrepreneurs.
Single-use plastics and polythene bags have been banned at the fair. Eco-friendly shopping bags will be supplied at reduced prices through the Ministry of Textiles and Jute.
A range of seminars and cultural programmes will run throughout the month to encourage youth participation and innovation.
This will be the fifth time the fair is being held at the Purbachal venue. A total of 324 pavilions, stalls and restaurants have been allocated to local manufacturers, exporters, general traders and foreign companies.
Exhibits will include textiles, machinery, carpets, cosmetics, electronics, furniture, jute and jute goods, leather and footwear, sports goods, sanitaryware, toys, stationery, crockery, plastics, melamine, herbal and toiletry items, imitation jewellery, processed food, fast food, handicrafts and home décor.
The fairground layout includes Bangladesh Square in the southeast, a cultural centre and recreational corner in the southwest, two children’s parks in the northeast, and a mosque and prayer space in the northwest.
Facilities will include ATMs, a mother-and-child centre, blood donation booth, rest areas, senior citizens’ seating, and free primary healthcare services.
More than 200 dedicated BRTC shuttle buses will operate daily from Kuril Bishwaroad, Farmgate (Khejur Bagan/Khamarbari), Narayanganj and Narsingdi from 8:00am, with the last return trip leaving the venue at 11:00pm.
Fares have been fixed at Tk70 from Farmgate, Tk40 from Kuril Bishwaroad, Tk120 from Chashara, Tk130 from Muktarpur, Tk100 from Narsingdi, and Tk100 from the fairground to Signboard. Concessional transport will also be available via Pathao.
Entry tickets are priced at Tk50 for adults and Tk25 for children under 12. Freedom fighters, persons with disabilities and those injured in July 2024 will be allowed free entry upon showing valid cards. The fair will remain open daily from 9:55am to 9:50pm, extending to 10:00pm on weekends.
Jointly organised by the Ministry of Commerce and the EPB since 1995, the DITF aims to promote domestic products, boost marketing and production, and create employment opportunity.
Comprehensive security measures have been put in place, with police, RAB, armed police, intelligence agencies and the army deployed for round-the-clock patrols. CCTV cameras, archways, metal detectors, private security guards, fire brigade services, cleanliness crews, mobile courts to monitor food quality, ample parking facilities, an on-site cafeteria and information centre will also be in operation throughout the fair.