Dhaka: Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed on Sunday said export order at the Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) has exceeded by about Taka 71.02 crore than previous year.

‘The businessmen at the DITF have got export order of Taka 235.17 crore, which was Taka 121.47 crore in last year,’ he said at the closing ceremony of the DITF.

The minister said a huge number of visitors visited the fair which turned it into a national festival.

He hoped that the export of the current fiscal is likely to cross US$33.5 billion as the country is going forward overcoming the limitations of the economy under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce M Tajul Islam Chowdhury, Senior Secretary of the ministry Hedayetullah Al Mamun and FBCCI President Abdul Matlub Ahmed also spoke on the occasion with Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) Vice Chairman Begum Mafruha Sultana in the chair.

Terming the FBCCI President’s proposal of organizing trade fair at all divisional cities at a time, Tofail said, ‘The proposal is time-befitting and the government will consider it.’

Later, the minister distributed crests and trophies to the best pavilions, stalls and organisations.

The 21^st month-long DITF-2016 began on January 1, 2016.

Besides the hoist country, 21 countries including India, Pakistan, China, Malaysia, Iran, Thailand, USA, Turkey, Singapore, Australia, UK, South Korea, Germany and UAE, took part in the show.

This year, seven new countries, Mauritius, Ghana, Nepal, Hong Kong, Japan, Morocco and Bhutan took part in the exhibition.

There were 111 pavilions, 57 mini pavilions, 80 premier pavilions and 276 stalls in the fair.