Anisul Islam Noor :
Eid sales have started gathering momentum at different city markets and shopping malls as Eid-ul-Fitr, the greatest festivals of the Muslims, nears about 12 days.
During visits to some key markets and shopping malls, including New Market, Gausia, Bashundhara City, Elephant Road, Bailey Road, Rajdhani Market, Farmgate and Gulistan, rush of customers was witnessed in outlets dealing in garments of ladies, gents and children.
The traders said, sales have been gradually increasing since the first day of Ramzan. They, however, said the transaction on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr would pick up in the days ahead.
“Actually, the price this year is slightly higher than that of the last year and varies according to the quality. We deal in only women’s collections and at our shops there are products of different price ranges. The prices of three-pieces range from Tk 800 to Tk 5,000 and those of sari from Tk 600 to Tk 9,500,” Ramesh Saha, a trader of New Market, told The New Nation. Mohammad Abu Sufian, the owner of Fatema Fashion in Gawsia market, said sale has been increasing from the first day of Ramzan and this year their business seems better than that of the previous years. “It is the mid of Ramzan now; customers have just started coming for Eid shopping and it will take some more days to witness peak selling on the occasion”, Abu Sufian said.
Gopal Pal, who runs a shop of sari at Gawsia market, also expressed his satisfaction that the response of customers is better than that of the last year. “Last year, we did not notice such presence of customers at the mid of Ramzan which gives us hope that we are going to have some good days ahead,” he added. Shah Newaj, owner of Navil Fashion House at Bashundhara City, said Eid-related sales usually start from the first day of Ramzan but now the market to witness peak selling.
“On Friday and Saturday in Ramzan we have been witnessing a large number of customers which is a good sign for us indicating that full-fledged selling is going to start very soon,” he added.
Meanwhile, footpath-based traders are also experiencing increased sales. Some hawkers of the New Market area said that their sale started to increase from the previous weeks and hopefully it will rise to a great extent after some days. One the other hand, customers’ perception is different in this case. Most of the customers think that the prices of products will be higher with the nearing of the Eid; so to get the best collections buying earlier is the best strategy.
A good number of shoppers were seen searching for clothes at different outlets of the city markets.
Abir Hossain, a student of Dhaka City College, who was found shopping at New Market, said he has already completed most of his Eid shopping. To him, buying at the beginning of Ramzan gives some advantages of price. Moreover, prices of products are more or less the same as those of the normal times and above all, the market is not overcrowded.
Sumaiya Simu, a university student, who came for Eid shopping on Bailey Road said in case of Eid shopping she always prefers to buy at the first week of Ramzan for a number of reasons.
“I think new additions, uncommon and beautiful Eid collections can be found at the beginning of Ramzan. Besides, before Ramadan 10 or 15, the shops remain less crowded which gives customers the opportunity of spending extra time to assess the quality, have bargaining options and buy products at a cheaper rate than that of the last days of Ramadan,” Simu said.
However, most of the Eid shoppers also claimed that prices of all kinds of products are higher this year than those of the last year.