Crowd of shoppers at ‘festivista’ fair in Chattogram, 150,000 in four days
Photo: Agamir Somoy
The ‘Festivista Grand Wedding Exhibition’ has been organized in Agrabad, Chattogram, to give entrepreneurs who run businesses by showcasing products through photos and videos online an opportunity to present their products directly to customers. Online and small entrepreneurs are participating in the weeklong event with clothing, local handicrafts, beauty and skincare products and wedding decoration items.
The fourth edition of the exhibition at City Hall Convention Center near Agrabad Barapole intersection will end today, Friday. The event has been jointly organized by Chattogram based event company ‘Kabul Events’ and online platform for women entrepreneurs ‘Girls Priority’. Agamir Somoy is the media partner of the fair.
The organizers said the main objectives of the event are to help online entrepreneurs establish direct contact with customers, present their products and businesses, find new customers and increase business visibility.
The fair features homemade clothing and various other products at different stalls. Some clothing items are being sold at relatively lower prices considering students and young people. One-piece dresses, kurtis and long gowns are available for Tk 500. Two-piece dresses are priced at Tk 600 to Tk 800 while Pakistani designed clothing is available from Tk 800. Three-piece dresses are also being sold from Tk 1,200. Various stalls are offering special discounts and deals on the occasion of the fair.
Local products also have a separate presence at the fair. The Chattogram based ‘Bagan Bilash’ stall is showcasing clay products, bamboo and cane items and wooden handicrafts. The organization said special discounts are being offered on these products during the fair. Home delivery is also available across different parts of the country. At stall No. 48, ‘Sairaj Fashion’ has brought sarees, three-piece dresses, beauty and skincare products.
Fahad Hossain, proprietor of ‘Kabul Events’, said his company provided various support related to the fair’s decoration and event management. The event has been organized with support from various sponsors and partners including City Hall Convention Center, Premier Cement, Delta LPG and Chittagong Dine.
‘Girls Priority’ is one of the key organizers of the event. The platform has around 700,000 followers. Tasnuva Anwar, head of the organization, said the fair has created an opportunity for many women entrepreneurs who run businesses from home to present their products directly to customers. Along with selling products during the several days event, entrepreneurs are also getting opportunities to meet new customers. She also said the fair has received a good response.
Farhana Mehjabe Mohini, proprietor of ‘Chhapa’ and a participating woman entrepreneur, said she did not expect such a response on working days. Her stocked products have already sold out. She is now taking orders online.
Farhana Mehjabe Mohini said, “Along with showing products online, the opportunity to talk directly with customers is important for business. Customers are getting the opportunity to see the products in person and buy them after coming to the fair. At the same time, they are also learning about the entrepreneurs’ online pages.”
Mishkatul Azam, chief executive of Kabul Events, said there are 80 stalls at this year’s fair. Around 150,000 visitors and shoppers came during the first four days. The organizers are expecting the highest sales on the final day. He also said the response has increased further this year after food stalls were added.
The organizers said the number of entrepreneurs involved in online based businesses in Chattogram is increasing day by day. They said regular events like this could create more opportunities for them to establish a presence in the direct market alongside their online businesses.
