BSS, Gaibandha :
Book shops are doing brisk business ahead of Bangla New Year as the owners of business establishments and the traders are buying Tali Khatas or Haal Khata and Ponjikas on the occasion of Pahela Baishakh.
Idol makers locally called Malakors are also earning money ahead of Bangla New Year by selling Ganesh idols to the Hindu businessmen as they keep the idol of Ganesh at the shops.
The owners of the business establishments particularly stationery, cloth and wholesale shops of the district use the Tali Khatas with red cover to keep the accounts of the business for the next one year.
The khatas of the shops owned by the Hindus will be opened in the morning of Pahela Baishakh, the first day of the Bangla Year, through giving five marks of old coins by the priest (Thakur) on its first page, said Debashis Das, a owner of a shop in the town.
The khata would be used for one year and a new khata would be opened again next year preserving the old one, he added.
Goutamashis Guha Sarker of David Companypara of the town here said people also buy ponzika ahead of Bangla new year.
Now, almost all the book shops are crowded with the customers as they were buying Tali Khatas and Ponzikas.
A Tali Khata is being sold from Tk 50 to 300 depending on its quality and size while a Ponzika costs Tk 35 to 110, said Dherendranath Saha, a book shop owner of the town.
Promoda Ranjan Paul of College para of the town said every Hindu businessman keeps Ganesh idol at the shop seeking God’s blessings for making good business.
Haren, a malakor of the town, said his family members are busy to make Ganesh idols as it was the best time of the year to sell the idols to the customers.
