FT ONLINE

The 17th edition of an international tourism fair -- US-Bangla Airlines Dhaka Travel Mart 2020 -- which was scheduled to begin in the capital from March 12, has been postponed due to growing threat of the lethal COVID-19 infection.

Kazi Wahidul Alam, editor and chairman of the host organisation, The Bangladesh Monitor, informed this to media today.

"The present situation is beyond anybody's control. We're concerned about the health and safety of our partners, participants and visitors from home and abroad. We can't take any risk," he said.

A fresh date for holding the DTM-2020 will be announced soon once the present situation improves, Kazi Wahidul Alam added.

About one hundred participants from Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, UAE, Oman, India and host Bangladesh registered for participating in the travel and tourism fair while the organisers expected a record number of visitors this year.