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Festivals boost shopping

Sohel Parvez
Retail sales have posted a higher growth during Eid this year due mainly to a relatively better law and order situation, longer shopping hours, and a comeback of business confidence, operators said yesterday.
The rise in sales, according to the shop operators, was between 10 percent and 20 percent during the days prior to Eid, which helped generate about 40 percent of the annual turnover of retailers, wholesalers and distributors.
The sign of a let-up in fear among a section of shoppers about the drive against corruption and tax dodging has also contributed to the sales growth.
The retailers said a section of customers, especially politicians, who had been a bit edgy in spending during the last two years of caretaker government, spent more on Eid shopping this year.
“We have recorded very good sales this year compared with those in the past two
years,” said Md Helal Uddin, president of Dhaka Mahanagar Dokan Malik Samity, a body of shop owners in the capital.
“It seems that a section of customers, who refrained from buying much during the caretaker government regime, have returned to a shopping spree," he said.
Sales in his outlet, Nilmoy Garments, were 20 percent higher in the month prior to the Eid day, celebrated on Monday.
Another religious festival Durga Puja that begins today had also helped traders mark a rise in sales, as the Hindus were buying clothes and gift items, among others.
Footwear and electronics retailers also registered growth in sales during the shopping season ahead of Eid and Durga Puja.
But the impact on sales was mixed as it varied from locations to locations and malls to malls.
“Sales were there but not as per expectation," said Khalid Mahmood Khan, director of a local fashion house, Kay Kraft. Khalid however said sales
fluctuated depending on locations and malls.
He also linked the lower-than-expected sales to a decline in the number of shopping days due to a 29-day Ramadan, bad weather and traffic jam.
But a longer shopping period helped many retailers register good sales.
“No time bar on shopping helped us. A relatively better law and order situation also encouraged shoppers,” said Mir Nizam Uddin Ahmed, chairman of Zaara Fashion Ltd, which was offering foreign garments.
'We have crossed our targeted turnover of Tk 50 lakh as Eid sales," he said.
Tariqur Rahman Milon, managing director of Artisti Collection, said leading garment brands recorded good sales. “Our sales were slightly better than the previous Eid,” he said.
Jafrul Alam Khan, national sales manager of Transcom Electronics, said the electronics retailer also recorded a rise in sales this Eid.
sohel@thedalystar.nel