Hill Tracts Fair gets bigger every year

Nusrat Jabeen from Dhanmondi has never been to the Hill Tracts. But she has always felt curious about the pristine nature of the hill regions of the country and the culture of people living there.

On Friday, she got an opportunity to taste at least one of these aspects at the Hill Tracts Fair at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.

"I am happy I came here…There are so many varieties of foods, clothes and other products from the hills. Besides, these products can now be purchased online thanks to the organisers," she said, adding that bringing people of different cultures together is always appreciable.

Since the inception of the Hill Tracts Fair in 2015, the festival has grown in size every year, attracting more and more people to visit and experience the mountainous culture.

Laknuam Bawm, the owner of Munlai Store at the fair, said, "I have been taking part in the fair since its inception. I can tell, it has become a major attraction among Dhaka residents."

With more visitors arriving every year, our sales are rising – a trend which is continuing this year too, the vendor added.

The Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs is organising the four-day fair (12-15 January).

Shihab Mahmud, an executive of the organising agency, said the fair has become a popular event in just seven years. This year, the fairground is getting swarmed by people in the afternoon, with thousands more joining in the evening to enjoy colourful cultural programmes.

Some 104 stalls have been allotted to government institutions, development aid agencies, established entrepreneurs and traders in this year's fair.

Visiting the fair on Friday, The Business Standard found that the stalls were showcasing a host of agricultural products, handicrafts, traditional waist-loom products, cosmetics and traditional hill food products produced in the three hill districts – Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban.

The products include ornaments, cloaks, toys, cosmetics like soap and cream, fruits, different kinds of Binni rice, Sutki (dried fish), and different kinds of traditional Pitha and spices.

According to participating traders, the fair presents an opportunity for them to reunite and promote the hill people's products and culture among the masses along with the business.

An ornaments seller, Dibti Chakma, said, "I have been attending this fair for the past three years. We get a good number of customers. My sales are growing over the years as people get to know about my products through this fair. I have an online shop too." 

Sayechin, the owner of Fru Fu Fashion, said, "We have come to this fair to promote our tradition and culture among the plainland people and advertise for our organisation. As customer relations grow each year, people are buying our products even after the fair ends."

Most of the visitors, whether they buy any product or not, were seen to relish the foods of the mountain people.

While eating fried crab, a visitor Akramul said, "I did not come alone, my friends are here too. We are testing the traditional foods of the mountain dwellers here in the capital. These foods look so yummy. I am eating crab for the first time in my life and it is delicious."

Since most visitors are more drawn to foods than other products, the food vendors are having a blast. 

Joy Sangna, the owner of Tongsa Inn, said, "It is true that the sales of food shops are better than others. Foods say a lot about the culture of the people who eat them and food lovers do not want to waste the scope."

The customers, however, were not happy with the high prices of the foods and products at this year's fair.

Nabila Choiti said, "We come each year and buy handmade clothes and cloaks. The quality is really good. But this year, the vendors raised prices. Even though a fair is a great opportunity to offer discounts, no one is offering any rebate."

Ripa Dewan, the owner of Ripa Handicraft, said, "The cost of production and other expenditures rose last year, forcing us not to offer discounts despite our willingness to do so."

"Last year, the stall rent was Tk5,000, but this year it is Tk7,500. Besides, the transportation and stayover costs also rose manifolds," she added.

Apart from trade, cultural programmes are being performed each day with the participation of artists from hill districts at the venue.