BSS, Rajshahi :
Amidst the last moment’s hectic purchasing spree the Eid shopping has gained a peak in all markets and shopping malls in the city and its adjacent areas.
With hardly four days left for the Eid-ul-Fitr, one of the biggest religious festivals of the Muslims, Rajshahi city has been caught by Eid shopping fever with modern and traditional shopping malls bustling with shoppers from all strata.
Braving the prevailing humid and sultry weather thousands of people are purchasing items of their own choice with huge enthusiasm despite significant rise in prices of all kinds of clothes than the last year.
Movement of the shoppers has created huge traffic congestion in the major shopping areas.
Shop owners told BSS that sales were showing an upward trend for the last couple of days.
Salesmen of different markets, footpaths, makeshift sales centers are passing busy time from morning to midnight as shoppers of all ages gathered there.
Deployment of law enforcers at different points and market places and engagement of private security men at shopping malls by the authorities concerned have ultimately created a fool-proof security arrangement for businessmen as well as shoppers.
Rajshahi Metropolitan Traffic Police sources said movement of thousands of battery-run auto-rickshaws has deteriorated the traffic situation in the city though the situation is so far better.
The RMP traffic department also blocked all intersections in front of all markets and shopping malls to ensure uninterrupted movement of vehicles. Police boxes were set up beside the gates of all busy markets. Sekendar Ali, general secretary of RDA Market Businessmen Association, said he had not faced any untoward situation since the very first day of Ramadan.
“The volume of sale is much higher this year.” Saidul Islam, owner of Laboni Saree Ghar at Rajshahi New Market, said the products particularly salwar-kameez for girls, shoes, sarees with embroidery and stone work, punjabi, and shirts produced by local fashion houses were attracting the customers.
The shopping places become jam-packed to wear festive looks daily since noon. Market sources said prices of the clothes for male, female and children were about 30 to 40 percent higher than last year.
The Eid shoppers have been rushing mostly to RDA Market, New Market, Sonadighi Silk Market and other markets and shopping malls in the city.
The girls and adolescents are mostly purchasing three pieces of various designs like “Tumili’, “Chhanchhan”, “Ranjona”, and “Anar Koli”.
