Bangladesh will waive booth fees for small exporters. Government says cost relief will open global markets.

Bangladesh will waive booth rent for small entrepreneurs participating in international trade fairs as part of efforts to expand exports, commerce minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir said Monday.

Muktadir said many small businesses could not attend overseas exhibitions because of financial constraints, despite their importance to the country’s export sector. He announced the measure during a review session on Bangladesh’s participation in trade fairs held in Kunming, China.

The government will also extend the validity of trade licenses to five years and is developing an online system allowing businesspeople to obtain licenses from home, he said.

Muktadir heard recommendations from entrepreneurs who attended the Kunming events and promised continued government support to improve export competitiveness.

Export Promotion Bureau vice chairman and chief executive officer Mohammad Hasan Arif chaired the session at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Center in Purbachal.