Staff Reporter :
The Eid shopping is gaining momentum in the capital’s footpath makeshift shops as thousands of people throng there for buying dresses of their choice for the Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival of Muslims, which is about three weeks away now.
Meanwhile, the rush of the low income group, main customers of the footpath stalls, has begun significantly at Gulistan, Ramna Bhaban, Farmgate, Motijheel, New Market and Mirpur
People of all ages, particularly children and women, are more enthusiastic in choosing new and unique designed clothes. But for the last two to three days, inclement weather has prevented them from visiting the makeshift shops in large numbers.
Meanwhile, hundreds of new stalls have been set up in city’s footpaths in addition to the existing ones. They are witnessing huge sales every day. Lower-middle income and poor people are the main customers of these shops. They prefer roadside stalls and footpaths because products available here are less expensive.
On Friday morning, this reporter visited a number of makeshift shops at Gulistan, Motijheel, New Market, Farmgate and Mirpur.
President of Bangladesh Hawkers Association MA Kashem said the capital has around 2.5 lakh permanent
footpath hawkers while around 50,000 additional hawkers arrive in Dhaka city every year to do business during the month of Ramzan. One Mizanur Rahman set up a makeshift shop in the city street ahead of Eid. He said the demand for T-shirt and kid’s items is huge. A T-shirt is selling at Tk 100 and the kid’s items are selling at Tk 150 to 250. But sale is dull slightly due to rain. Dulal Mia, salesman of a shop at Farmgate said a jeans pant is selling for Tk 250 to 500 and a shirt at Tk 150 to 400.
Barkat Ali, a salesman of a shoe market at Motijheel said service holders and lower income group people are coming here to buy shoes, as price is comparatively cheaper. Normally, a shoe is selling at Tk 400-1,000.
Hawkers in Motijheel, Paltan, Malibag, Gulistan, New Market, Jatrabari and other areas of the capital were found selling panjabis, low-price saris, shoes, sandals, waist-belts, trinkets and essential household utensils at competitive prices.
The customers, mostly from the fixed and lower income group, said that the prices of various items at footpath shops were cheaper compared with the large outlets or those at shopping malls. At the pavement shops, different varieties of panjabis are selling between Tk 200 and Tk 400.
Md. Hazrat Ali, a service holder said household expenditure has doubled and tripled in last one year but salary of people remains unchanged. He said, “It is almost difficult for them to meet the needs of daily life with small income. I have prepared an Eid budget. The expenditure may exceed the boundary line although I shall try to spend as per budget”.
High prices of clothes, readymade garments, food and other essential items compel majority of people of lower and middle income groups to stay away from markets. For this, the low-income group people choose to purchase their essential products from the footpath markets.
The Eid shopping is gaining momentum in the capital’s footpath makeshift shops as thousands of people throng there for buying dresses of their choice for the Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival of Muslims, which is about three weeks away now.
Meanwhile, the rush of the low income group, main customers of the footpath stalls, has begun significantly at Gulistan, Ramna Bhaban, Farmgate, Motijheel, New Market and Mirpur
People of all ages, particularly children and women, are more enthusiastic in choosing new and unique designed clothes. But for the last two to three days, inclement weather has prevented them from visiting the makeshift shops in large numbers.
Meanwhile, hundreds of new stalls have been set up in city’s footpaths in addition to the existing ones. They are witnessing huge sales every day. Lower-middle income and poor people are the main customers of these shops. They prefer roadside stalls and footpaths because products available here are less expensive.
On Friday morning, this reporter visited a number of makeshift shops at Gulistan, Motijheel, New Market, Farmgate and Mirpur.
President of Bangladesh Hawkers Association MA Kashem said the capital has around 2.5 lakh permanent
footpath hawkers while around 50,000 additional hawkers arrive in Dhaka city every year to do business during the month of Ramzan. One Mizanur Rahman set up a makeshift shop in the city street ahead of Eid. He said the demand for T-shirt and kid’s items is huge. A T-shirt is selling at Tk 100 and the kid’s items are selling at Tk 150 to 250. But sale is dull slightly due to rain. Dulal Mia, salesman of a shop at Farmgate said a jeans pant is selling for Tk 250 to 500 and a shirt at Tk 150 to 400.
Barkat Ali, a salesman of a shoe market at Motijheel said service holders and lower income group people are coming here to buy shoes, as price is comparatively cheaper. Normally, a shoe is selling at Tk 400-1,000.
Hawkers in Motijheel, Paltan, Malibag, Gulistan, New Market, Jatrabari and other areas of the capital were found selling panjabis, low-price saris, shoes, sandals, waist-belts, trinkets and essential household utensils at competitive prices.
The customers, mostly from the fixed and lower income group, said that the prices of various items at footpath shops were cheaper compared with the large outlets or those at shopping malls. At the pavement shops, different varieties of panjabis are selling between Tk 200 and Tk 400.
Md. Hazrat Ali, a service holder said household expenditure has doubled and tripled in last one year but salary of people remains unchanged. He said, “It is almost difficult for them to meet the needs of daily life with small income. I have prepared an Eid budget. The expenditure may exceed the boundary line although I shall try to spend as per budget”.
High prices of clothes, readymade garments, food and other essential items compel majority of people of lower and middle income groups to stay away from markets. For this, the low-income group people choose to purchase their essential products from the footpath markets.
