Staff Reporter :
The shopping in the capital’s footpaths ahead of the Eid festival, now a week away, has not yet gained momentum because of high price of items.
The rush of the low income group, main customers of the footpaths’ stalls, was insignificant compared with previous years at the city’s popular footpath shopping spots like Gulistan, Ramna Bhaban, Farmgate, Motijheel and New Market.
Low income group people were frustrated to witness the high prices of the footpath markets as the prices of various varieties of dresses for girls, boys and adults have risen this year.
As a result, Eid shopping of low income groups are forced to cut down their shopping, said both customers and vendors on the footpaths in the capital.
This year items ranging from pajama-punjabi, shirt, T-shirt, trousers, sari, salwar-kameez, readymade garments for children, shoes, caps, attar are also available in the footpath stalls.
Customers claimed that this year the prices of all the readymade garments have increased by Tk 50 t0 150 in the footpath stalls.
Mizanur Rahman, a street vendor of Mirpur said, the price is high due to the increase in the price of raw materials. Many vendors in other parts of the capital, however, attributed the fall in their sales due to the incessant rainfall.
“We could not run our business smoothly particularly during the last two days (Thursday and Friday) because of almost day-long rains. All of my customers are from the lower-income group, mostly garment workers,” he said.
“A boy’s shirt is being sold at Tk 200 to Tk 400 whereas it was Tk 100 last year,” said Emdadul Haque, a footpath vendor at Mirpur-10 intersection. He said, a baby girl’s dress which was previously cost Tk 80 to Tk 150 is now being sold at Tk 120 to Tk 220.
Abdul Alim, a customer, said that last year he bought a shirt and pant for his baby boy for Tk 120. ‘This year I cannot even buy the same dress for Tk 200. They are demanding Tk 250.
The panjabis are being sold at Tk 150 to Tk 400 at the footpath stalls while men’s shirt cost Tk 250 to Tk 650. The prices of men’s shoes are Tk 200 to Tk 850 and women’s shoes Tk 150 in the stalls on the pavements in Farm Gate area.
Auto-rickshaw driver Chand Mia said he will buy a pair of trousers and a shirt for his son on the eve of Eid. ‘This time I cannot afford to buy any new clothes for my wife or myself,’ he said sadly without giving any reason.
Dulal Sheikh, a vendor in Gulistan area, who sells saris, said that this year they cannot attract enough customers due to the rain. He also admitted that the prices of all the products have increased by Tk 30 to Tk 50.
The shopping in the capital’s footpaths ahead of the Eid festival, now a week away, has not yet gained momentum because of high price of items.
The rush of the low income group, main customers of the footpaths’ stalls, was insignificant compared with previous years at the city’s popular footpath shopping spots like Gulistan, Ramna Bhaban, Farmgate, Motijheel and New Market.
Low income group people were frustrated to witness the high prices of the footpath markets as the prices of various varieties of dresses for girls, boys and adults have risen this year.
As a result, Eid shopping of low income groups are forced to cut down their shopping, said both customers and vendors on the footpaths in the capital.
This year items ranging from pajama-punjabi, shirt, T-shirt, trousers, sari, salwar-kameez, readymade garments for children, shoes, caps, attar are also available in the footpath stalls.
Customers claimed that this year the prices of all the readymade garments have increased by Tk 50 t0 150 in the footpath stalls.
Mizanur Rahman, a street vendor of Mirpur said, the price is high due to the increase in the price of raw materials. Many vendors in other parts of the capital, however, attributed the fall in their sales due to the incessant rainfall.
“We could not run our business smoothly particularly during the last two days (Thursday and Friday) because of almost day-long rains. All of my customers are from the lower-income group, mostly garment workers,” he said.
“A boy’s shirt is being sold at Tk 200 to Tk 400 whereas it was Tk 100 last year,” said Emdadul Haque, a footpath vendor at Mirpur-10 intersection. He said, a baby girl’s dress which was previously cost Tk 80 to Tk 150 is now being sold at Tk 120 to Tk 220.
Abdul Alim, a customer, said that last year he bought a shirt and pant for his baby boy for Tk 120. ‘This year I cannot even buy the same dress for Tk 200. They are demanding Tk 250.
The panjabis are being sold at Tk 150 to Tk 400 at the footpath stalls while men’s shirt cost Tk 250 to Tk 650. The prices of men’s shoes are Tk 200 to Tk 850 and women’s shoes Tk 150 in the stalls on the pavements in Farm Gate area.
Auto-rickshaw driver Chand Mia said he will buy a pair of trousers and a shirt for his son on the eve of Eid. ‘This time I cannot afford to buy any new clothes for my wife or myself,’ he said sadly without giving any reason.
Dulal Sheikh, a vendor in Gulistan area, who sells saris, said that this year they cannot attract enough customers due to the rain. He also admitted that the prices of all the products have increased by Tk 30 to Tk 50.
