Participants yesterday said both local and foreign visitors are buying fashionable jute bags, satranji, or rug, leather bags, besides handicrafts such as flower vase.

Karupannya, a Rangpur-based rug maker, displays a wide range of rugs at the fair. Prices of the traditional items start from Tk 30 a piece.

"The rugs are quite impressive for home decoration," Salma Mannan, a housewife, said as she was purchasing two pieces of rug at the fair.

France, Italy, Germany and Spain are major importers of satranji, said a salesman of Karupannya.

A salesman at Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) stall said, "We have been selling products worth Tk 30 thousand to 40 thousand a day for the last three days as the fair is attracting more ahead of the Eid."

Alliance Bedware offers exclusive cushion, floor cushion and pillow cover at the fair.

"We are very new in this trade but we have already started exporting our products to the UAE, Qatar and Australia," said SM Ali Reza, assistant general manager of the company.

"We have got some orders from Sri Lankan buyers," he added.

Officials of Home Textile said the company has received a spot order of six thousand bed sheets from a Norwegian buyer.

Salespeople at Leather Cottage, Bay Tanneries Ltd, Bay Emporium said they are getting good response as the Eid nears.

Shawl, shari and woolen muffler of Manipuri Handicrafts, a Sylhet-based handicraft maker, also sell well, said Goura Babu Singha, proprietor of the enterprise.

Bay Tanneries Ltd, Lalmai Footwear Ltd, and Leather Cottage are showcasing leather purse, handbag, and leather jacket at the fair.

Some 421 local and foreign companies are displaying machinery, agriculture equipment, chemicals, allied products, cosmetics, dairy products, electrical and electronic items, food, tableware, melamine, plastic goods, handicrafts, furniture, home appliances, leather and leather goods, footwear, sports goods, building materials, textile and garment products in Dhaka International Trade Fair 2005.

Along with the Bangladeshi companies, 22 foreign companies from the US, Singapore, Italy, South Korea, Pakistan, China, India, Iran, Thailand, Austria and Myanmar are showcasing their products.

Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) and commerce ministry are organising the eleventh version of DITF to help local enterprises expand their business globally.

The month-long exposition, which began on December 10, at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar will remain open to visitors from 10am to 9pm everyday. The entry ticket has been fixed at Tk 10 for adults and Tk 5 for children. The first DITF was held in 1995.