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DHAKA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The 23rd version of the Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF), the biggest annual event in Bangladesh, began here on Monday.

Like previous years, the fair is being held at the west side of Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC), also known as Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre, in Dhaka.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who inaugurated the month-long fair, said the country is currently exporting 750 items to 199 countries and regions across the world.

She stressed the need for expanding and improving the country's export basket to bolster export income.

As a yearly program of the Bangladeshi government, DITF is aimed at showcasing local products to foreign buyers.

According to Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, scores of organizations from 17 foreign countries, including China, the United States, India, South Korea, Iran, Turkey, Nepal, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Iran, Pakistan, Mauritius, Singapore, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, are also taking part in the fair.

The exhibition, which covers a floor area of some 1.25 million square feet, showcases a wide range of local and foreign products, including machinery, equipment and materials for agriculture and gardening, carpet, chemical and allied products, cosmetics, dairy products and electronic items, an official from the Exhibition Promotion Bureau said.

A total of 400 stalls, 112 pavilions, and 77 mini pavilions have been set up this year in the fair which is usually thronged by thousands of people every day.

It is believed that this year's trade fair will get a significant number of export orders from foreign buyers.

Export order value from last year's fair amounted to about 2.43 billion taka when businesses also sold products worth 1.13 billion taka. (1 U.S. dollar equals to 82 taka).