Standard Operating Procedure

  1. The exhibition center is owned, run, and maintained by Export Promotion Bureau (hereinafter mentioned as EPB or the Authority) that will use the premise and facilities of BBCFEC for organizing trade, export and business fairs, business conferences, conventions, seminars and symposia and any other purpose as decided by EPB or the Government.
  1. Operations related to the organizing events at the BBCFEC will be on a business model. EPB may rent or lease the premise and facilities of BBCFEC for organizing trade, export, and business fairs, business conferences, conventions, seminars and symposia on specific terms of use.
  1. EPB will organize collective fairs, regional trade promotion initiatives, Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) and similar events at the BBCFEC. These events will be managed by EPB. Exhibitors will be allowed to register and participate for display and sale of products and services. Visitor’s entry will also be under EPB’s control. Events may also be organized and managed by the industry or enterprises or the person or entity approved by EPB for arranging such events according to the guidelines and procedure set out in this SOP.
  1. Types of Fairs and trade programs to organize at BBCIEC:
  • Collective Export and Sourcing Fair
  • Single Product Sourcing Fair
  • Single Enterprise Product Exposition
  • Fairs proposed by industry and business associations
  • Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF)
  • Consumer Fairs
  • Fairs Proposed and organized by trade organization of other countries
  • International Trade Conferences
  • International Trade and Investment Exhibitions
  • Regional Trade Promotion Initiatives
  • Business Conference, Conventions, Corporate Events, Seminars and Symposia
  • Other Trade-related initiatives by Trade organizations
  • Special initiative of EPB
  • Any other program approved by EPB or the Government
  1. Business Events other than a program initiated by the government and EPB should be limited to:
  • create a platform to the International and Local Business people to organize Trade Fairs/Exhibitions and other business events with a view to promoting their business;
  • ensure all kinds of logistics for organizing the trade fairs and other business events;
  • promote local industries in the international market as well as domestic market;
  • assist in product and market diversification in line with export policy and Five Year Plan of the Government;
  • facilitate new entrepreneurs/startups to participate in the internal fairs for building their capacity;
  • hold Business to Business sessions and trade conferences in order to give an opportunity to the local exporters to further extend their international business (export trade);
  • facilitate the local industry to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
  1. EPB will invite the trade and investment organization and entities of the public and private sectors, trade bodies and associations, and, exporters associations of commodities and services for the optimum utilization of the BBCFEC. It may choose to write to the local and international fair organizers and event organizers to hold fairs and events at BBCFEC. Ministry of Foreign Affairs may be requested to take initiative to invite Fair Organizers of different countries.
  2. Fair and Display Division of EPB will take necessary initiatives to promote BBCFEC to the international and local fair organizer and prepare & implement the annual fair calendar for BBCFEC. To this end, different committees may be formed with a view to performing the assigned job effectively.
  1. A third party, business promoter and fair organizer, may be selected to do the marketing activities. In addition, Commercial Counsellor of Bangladesh Foreign Missions may also be involved for marketing activities.
  1. Initiatives to be taken by the EPB:
  • To ensure participation of the local and foreign exhibitors for the international sourcing fairs to be organized by EPB;
  • To ensure the participation of the foreign buyers across the globe in the international trade fairs;
  • To undertake activities to promote the events among the stakeholders at home and abroad;
  • To hold the buyers sellers meet / match making meeting;
  • To provide information to the stakeholders time to time;
  • To coordeinat with business chambers and trade association;
  • To ensure the logistics and other assistance for the exhibitors and the buyers as per guideline of the fair authority during the trade show;
  1. There shall be a website for the exhibition center to introduce/promote the BBCFEC among the stakeholders at home and abroad. The website must include information related to facilities available at the center, schedule of events, charge schedule and other particulars. The website will contain a query window with feature to drop expression of interest to hold a fair by any organizer including a foreign applicant.
  1. Number of events each year:
    1. Arrangement of Export, Sourcing and Trade Fairs and Seminars, Symposium and Conventions for promotion of export and trade will get priority on events other than export promotion at BBCFEC.
    2. EPB will prepare a Calendar of Fairs of a reasonable number suited to the industry need for the following year. Bureau may invite proposals of Sourcing Fairs to include in the fair calendar from trade and export associations of Bangladesh.
    3. EPB may organize Collective Sourcing Fairs at several periods of the year with participation of exporters of several commodity and service sectors.
    4. Exporters’ Associations may organize single sector or product fairs for attracting international buyers.
    5. Any initiative of a single business entity to organize fair may be allowed subject to availability of the venue.
    6. Any request by any foreign fair organizer to organize international export or sourcing fair may be approved in case the proposed fair period does not coincide with a fair of the Annual Fair Calendar.
    7. No fair or event will be permitted during DITF.
  1. Determination of BBCFEC venue Rent, Fees & charges, etc.: EPB shall have exclusive right to determine, subject to the concurrence of government or by the EPB Board, on pro-rata or specific price, fees, charges, rents, royalties and prices of the venue and utilities for any activity related to the arrangement of any event including:
  1. Space rent for any pavilion or stall;
  2. Floor Price;
  3. Processing fees;
  4. Refundable security deposit;
  5. Non-refundable deposits;
  6. Royalties for advertisement;
  7. Royalties on amenities;
  8. Royalties on services;
  9. Royalties of usage of fixed and movable facilities;
  10. Lease rate of Gates;
  11. Electricity and other utilities;
  12. Charges on sponsors;
  13. Processing fee;
  14. Sponsorship fee;
  15. Branding price;
  16. Any other charge.
  1. EPB shall have the right to allot exhibition halls and other facilities of the Center to more than one organizer for organizing separate events concurrently with specific terms and conditions.
  1. Rent of the Exhibition Hall, Packing Area, Cafeteria etc: Fees and charges for space and other facilities, utilities and amenities are to be determined by the EPB with the approval of the appropriate authority. Rates are shown in ANNEX-II & III. The organizer shall have to comply with all Terms and Conditions as laid down in ANNEX-IV. Any change in fees and charges shall be notified.
  1. Rent of the Multifunction Convention Hall: Rent for use of the Multifunction Convention Hall will be separate from that of the Exhibition Hall. An Exhibitor or co-exhibitor or entity or person need to pay for the charge as determined by EPB for use of the Multipurpose Hall at level 2 of the BBCFEC. The rent of this Hall is stipulated in Annex –II & III. The organizer shall have to comply with all Terms and Conditions as laid down in ANNEX-IV.
  1. Allotment of the Exhibition Hall: Following principles shall generally be followed in case of allotment of space inside  the exhibition  hall and the premise for the fairs/events organized by EPB.
    1. EPB will allot space of pavilion or stall for the exhibitors participating in the collective exhibitions or fairs organized by EPB. Size of the space may be determined according to the number of participants.
    2. Zoning may be considered for ease of distribution and convenience of exhibitors to cluster products or services and also for the purpose of effective display and ease of visitors.
    3. EPB reserves the exclusive authority to determine discriminatory size of the pavilion or stall for different participants considering the requirement of the exhibitors.
    4. EPB may choose to distribute space on a random distribution or on a zoning basis or put the distribution on lottery or any other suitable method.
    5. In cases where number of applications for allotment of space surpasses the number of available number of pavilions or stalls as designed in the halls and other available area, EPB may give priority to an applicant on the basis of contribution to export or potentials to export or take the best reasonable alternative such as lottery selection or on auction.
    6. EPB will hire expert architect/designer/professional to determine the zoning, size, shape and location of the stalls and pavilions. However, any decision taken by EPB regarding distribution of zone, space and location will be final.
  1. Basis of charging fees for space and other facilities of BBCFEC:
    1. A square meter will generally be a unit for charging participation fees to exhibitors of a collective fair and usual size of a stall in either exhibition hall will be 9 (nine) square meter.
    2. Either or both the Exhibition Halls will be allotted to event organizer other than fairs organized or co-organized for collective fair by EPB.
    3. Charges and fees for use of electricity, additional security, cleaning and other utilities and amenities will be additional to the cost of space.
    4. Participation fees and other charges for exhibitors in DITF is subject to the decision of the Steering Committee for DITF.
  1. Business Period:

a)

Twenty-Four hours which is 12:00 am to 11:59 pm will be considered as one (01) day booking period.

b)

Out of twenty-four (24) hours twelve (12) hours will be considered as business period and Air-Condition support will be provided during business period only.

  1. Cafeteria:
    1. EPB may hire a caterer or a hotel service provider from the public or private sector as vendor of the cafeteria. The vendor must conclude an agreement with appropriate terms and conditions with EPB. Food menu and its price must be fixed in consultation with the EPB authority. The vendor must maintain quality of the food and beverage at any time and circumstance.
    2. The vendor shall not serve any food or beverage to any customer, exhibitor or visitor to consume outside the cafeteria.
  1. Security:
    1. EPB will ensure the overall security of the BBCFEC premise by hiring armed personnel from Bangladesh Police and/or the department of Ansar and VDP. For any requirement of additional security relating to the main entry gate, hall gate, security of the hall and goods, EPB may hire personnel from security service providers or by hiring individual security personnel.
    2. EPB may enlist security service providers for a particular period to hire additional security personnel for maintaining internal security and maintenance.
    3. A fair organizer authorized by EPB shall maintain the security of the internal facilities, goods and services, fixtures and utility equipment by hiring security personnel from the enlisted security service providers; provided that in absence of such enlistment, fair organizer may hire security personnel on their own responsibility.
  1. Cleaning and utility management: Cleaning and utility management will be outsourced from qualified companies. EPB may enlist or hire cleaning staff from government entity or private companies on a periodical or on event basis. A fair organizer should hire cleaning staff from the enlisted entity or company.
  1. Exhibitor’s Registration: An exhibitor has to be registered with EPB or the fair organizer according to the deadline and format of application with papers and documents as required and mentioned in the notification published by the fair organizer for participation in the event.
  1. Expression of Intent:
  1. An enterprise or event organizer has to express in writing of its intent to organize an event to the authority four months prior to the inception of such event. The expression of intent should be made in the prescribed form and manner, and in conformity of the payment in advance to the tune of the charges as stipulated in this SOP and its conditions.
  2. A foreign organizer may express in writing of its intent to organize the event to the authority six months prior to the inception of such event. The expression of intention should be made in the prescribed form and manner and in conformity of the payment in advance to the tune of the charges as stipulated in this SOP and its conditions.
  1. Car Parking: Exhibitors, event organizers and the visitors of BBCFEC have to park vehicles at the stipulated parking area and pay parking charges. The authority may consider creation of additional parking facility at a place where practicable and determine different parking charges for the purpose, mode, and duration of stay of the vehicle.

 

  1. Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF):
  1. Ministry of Commerce and EPB will jointly organize DITF once a year generally for one month from the first day of January every year. Number of exhibitor participants, fees, charges, use of open space, allotment of restaurants and food courts, creation of temporary additional facilities, security arrangement, transportation, parking arrangement and charges, procurement, design and other related components and activities will be decided by the Steering Committee formed by the Ministry of Commerce for each DITF. The decision of the DITF Steering Committee will be considered as an integral part of this SOP.
  2. DITF Steering Committee may decide on construction of a temporary structure outside the permanent halls for accommodating exhibition stalls, pavilions or any service venue of any nature.
  1. Construction of stalls, pavilions, service booths and other:
    1. EPB will enlist qualified design and construction contractors for a particular period or event to design layout of pavilions and to construct stalls inside and around the BBCFEC.
    2. A fair organizer nominated by EPB shall generally engage a design and construction contractor from the panel of enlisted contractors. In case the fair organizer intends to hire a design and construction contractor from outside the enlisted contractors, written permission of EPB must be taken prior to such design and construction.
  1. Use of the Landing Area of BBCFEC:
    1. The landing area of BBCFEC is meant for arrival and entry management of exhibitors and visitors. Branding of the event, mapping the direction and general information with banners, cut-outs, and digital panels may be arranged at the area with prior permission of the authority, and design must be approved prior to such arrangements. Fair organizers will not construct any structure at the landing area for any purpose.
    2. EPB may construct or get constructed a special purpose temporary booth or pavilion of a purpose of national interest and significance at the Landing Area without making any hindrance to the purpose of the area.
  1. National Priority Programme: EPB may at its discretion, let any entity of the Government use the facilities of BBCFEC or any part thereof free of charges or at discounted rate for organizing an event of national importance. Expenses of organizing such events shall be borne by the entity concerned or as decided by the government.
  1. Mode of Payment: 
  1. All payments shall be made through Pay Order or Cheque (A/C payee) or as specified in the notice in this regard, in favor of “Export Promotion Bureau “.
  2. 50% of total venue rent has to be paid in advance at the time of booking and rest of the amount to be paid minimum fifteen (15) days prior to the event.
  3. In case of cultural event, 60% of total venue rent has to be paid in advance at the time of booking and rest of the amount to be paid minimum fifteen (15) days prior to the event.
  1. Charges for cancellation /postponement/Shifting of event date or venue:

Sl. No.

Duration

Shift or postponement charges (in percentage on total venue rent)

Cancellation

( in percentage on total venue rent)

01.

Before 60 days ( any date after booking)

20%

30%

02.

Between 59 to 31 days

25%

35%

03.

From 30 days or less

30%

40%

  1. Security Deposit: The event organnisers or the hirers of the BBCFEC shall deposit 20% of the total rent in advance which is refundable after the event. Compensation for any loss or damage to the property or equipment shall be realized from the security deposit before any refund.
  1. Amendment: The authority may amend or append any provision laid down here in this SOP time to time as required for smooth running of the BBCFEC with the approval of the EPB Board of Directors or the Ministry of Commerce.
  1. Publish: this SoP after its approval shall be available in hard and soft copy at the EPB office and shall be published on EPB website immediately after it is approved. Any persn horing the Exhibition Hall(s), any space or any part of BBCFEC shall deep ton have full knowledge of
  1. BBCFEC is a public property. Any damage done shall be subject to legal and pecuniary consequences.