The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) will organise the single country trade fairs in Nepal, Sri Lanka, UK, Italy and Myanmar, said a high official of EPB, which will facilitate businesspeople in participating in the international fairs.

The EPB, a government body responsible for export promotion, has already sent schedules and other particulars of the fairs to all the chambers, associations and trade bodies inviting them to participate in the trade shows.

EPB officials said the main objective of participating in the fairs abroad and organising the single country trade shows is to showcase local exportable items for attracting potential foreign buyers and to provide marketing support to the local manufacturers.

Local companies will display home textiles, ceramics, readymade garments, handicrafts, food items, IT, seafood, leather items, knitwear and diversified jute products in the fairs.

According to EPB, the first single country trade show will be held in Nepal during October 8-10, to be followed by Sri Lanka in February, UK in May and Italy in June next year. The schedule of Myanmar fair is yet to be fixed.

Bangladesh will take part in two specialised international trade fairs on handicrafts, both in Germany, this fiscal. The Frankfurt International Trade Fair is scheduled to be held during August 27-31 this year and another similar show during February 11-15 next year.

Two specialised fairs for IT products in the list are GITEX in Dubai billed for October 3-7 next and CeBIT in Hanover, Germany during March 10-16 next year.

The other specialised trade fairs include GDS Shoe Fair at Dusseldorf, Germany (September 16-19), New York Home Textile Show (October 8-11), SIAL Food Fair in Paris (October 17-21), Asia-Pacific Leather Fair in Hong Kong (March 2005) and European Sea Food Exposition in Brussels (April 26-28, 2005).

As a member of D-8, a body of eight major Muslim developing countries, Bangladesh will take part in D-8 Trade Fair to be held in Iran a month after next Ramadan.

The other fairs are India International Trade Fair (November 14-27), International Autumn Trade Fair (Dubai, December 12-16), ATPF Joint Fair 'Style Asia' (Tokyo, December 16-18), Industrial India Trade Fair (December 20-31), Trade Fair of Islamic Countries (Bahrain, February 5-9), Guwahati International Trade Fair (February-March 2005) and International Trade and Industry Fair, (Karachi, March 26-28, 2005).