Food processing and textile equipment drew attention of most local entrepreneurs. According to John Lin, leader of the 2004 Taiwan Trade and Investment Mission, organiser of the fair, the machines are efficient and low-cost.

A total of 57 companies took part in the show displaying mainly machinery. The organisers said the show was an opportunity for Taiwanese businessmen to showcase their products in Bangladesh.

An official of a company said Bangladesh has become a potential market for Taiwan to sell machinery and equipment.

David Lin, manager of Foodco Corporation, said one of the buyers came up with a query about food processing machinery.

The show was a part of Taiwan's trade mission to South Asia 2004, providing facility for one-to-one business meet.

The trade mission will be followed by an investment mission, due on May 9, looking for investment opportunities mainly in textiles, light engineering and agro-processing, Lin told newsmen after the opening ceremony.

About the cancellation of the opening ceremony of Taiwan Trade Centre, scheduled to be held yesterday evening, Lin said, "We are aware of the reason behind this cancellation."

The mission was scheduled to hold another show in Chittagong on April 29, but it is cancelled because of hartal.

At the inaugural ceremony, Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) President Fazle RM Hasan invited Taiwanese entrepreneurs to invest in Bangladesh to take advantage of the country's preferential access to some developed markets.

The DCCI president said a 30-member delegation will visit Dhaka Export Processing Zone (DEPZ) today to see the facilities of the zone.

Bangladesh has a huge trade deficit with Taiwan--one of the tigers of Asian economy.

According to available statistics, Taiwan has already invested $19 million in the export- processing zones, while the country has an investment portfolio of $44 million outside the EPZs.

Besides, a Taiwanese company, Hawai UNN, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Board of Investment (BoI) in February this year to set up a textile industry with an investment of $5 million.