Staff Reporter/

A demand has been made to stop the illegal trade fairs in Sylhet city.

Sylhet Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Tahmin Ahmad complained that the fair is being organized in the suburban area ignoring the Ministry of Commerce’s ‘Fair Circular 2022’ and said that the Sylhet Chamber has repeatedly applied to the relevant authorities to organize the trade fair but permission has not been granted. But an institution is allowed to organize a fair in the playground outside the rules.

Tahmin Ahmad said in a written speech at the press conference organized at the Chamber Building on Jail Road in the city on Thursday, The Sylhet Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the top organization of businessmen of Greater Sylhet. This organization has successfully organized 14 international trade fairs in the past. But due to non-cooperation of local administration and non-availability of suitable land in Sylhet city, it was not possible to maintain the continuity of international trade fair.

Tahmin said, Sylhet’s trade relations with neighboring states in the north-eastern part of India are very strong. Every year on the invitation of the Indian Chamber of Commerce and the Government of India, we attend various business conferences in the north-eastern states of India including Assam, Meghalaya on behalf of the Sylhet Chamber of Commerce. But due to lack of suitable sponsorship we cannot invite Indian businessmen for any program in Sylhet. So we plan to organize month-long Sylhet International Trade Fair in November 2022 along with Bangladesh-India Buyer-Seller Meet. For that purpose, I sent a letter to the Deputy Commissioner on September 11 of that year asking for the allocation of the Sylhet Government Alia Madrasa ground or Sheikh Russell Stadium in Shahi Eidgah. On the same date, we sent a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Education and Minister of State for Youth and Sports seeking allocation of Sylhet Government Aliya Madrasa Ground or Shahi Eidgah Sheikh Russell Stadium. The local police administration also sent a letter of consent in this regard and the Foreign Minister recommended the matter to the Deputy Commissioner for consideration. But still the District Commissioner did not allocate the field to the Sylhet Chamber. Later, we sent a letter to the Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports to get allocation of Sheikh Russell Stadium for organizing the Sylhet International Trade Fair and Bangladesh-India Buyer-Seller Meet. Following the Sylhet Chamber’s request, the Foreign Minister also recommended the Minister of State for Sports to allocate the ground.

Tahmin said, although the Chamber has given a 3-point letter to the Deputy Commissioner for allocating land for the purpose of organizing the trade fair and buyer-seller meet, he has not responded in this regard. After that, when we sent letters to the concerned departments including the senior secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, they were requested to take measures according to the ‘Fair Circular 2022’. But still Sylhet Chamber has not been allotted the ground for holding the fair.

Tahmin said, according to paragraph 2 (a) and (b) of the ‘Fair Circular 2022’ of the Ministry of Commerce, before organizing a trade fair in any departmental, district or upazila city of the country except Dhaka metropolitan area, payment of fees to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and government treasury of the concerned district and necessary You have to apply to the District Commissioner along with the documents. The District Commissioner can grant permission to hold a fair as per the law after taking the recommendation of the concerned District Chamber and the opinion of the local police department. But unfortunately, the Sylhet Chamber of Commerce and Industry was not informed and the recommendation was not accepted in the matter of organizing the trade fair to be held at the suburban ‘I’ block ground.

Tahmin said, I am demanding to stop organizing illegal fairs. Otherwise, an organization under the authority of the administration is allowed to organize a fair in the playground. Similarly, Sylhet Chamber should also be allowed to organize a fair at Sheikh Russell Stadium in Shahi Eidgah. Press notice.