& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Mymensingh flush with Eid shoppers

AMINUL Islam, Mymensingh Correspondent
MYMENSINGH'S various shopping centres are buzzing with Eid shoppers looking to get the nicest possible treats for themselves and their loved ones, with the footprint expected to soar once the long holiday starts from August 15.
This year, the prices of saris and lungis are more or less the same as last year, even though there was a marked drop in yarn prices in the global market, said Dayal Saha, a shopper at Ganginarpar.
Cotton fabrics, after a long time, look to have captured the fancy of Eid shoppers, as sales of cotton saris and salwar suits have shot through the roof this Ramadan.
“Embroidered cotton saris have attracted both the young and old alike, which is always a positive sign for our weaving
industry,” said Mahua Nasreen, a college teacher, who got a cotton jamdani for herself this Eid.
Johirul Islam, proprietor of Mon'e Rekho Sari House, too mentioned of the overwhelming demand for cotton saris.
"Cotton saris are all the rage this Eid for their trendy varieties,” said Islam, adding that local-made saris were selling particularly well.
Swapon Kumar Basak, proprietor of Shibani Basralaya at Lily View Super Market, too, said that the number of customers asking for cotton saris, and lungis, has been higher this year.
Locally-made, lower-priced items have been in great demand thanks to the town's substantial middle-and low-income populace, said Basak.
“Indian saris, such as georgette and katan, are lagging behind in the competition with the local cotton saris and
salwar suits,” said Shihab Ahmed, a trader at Ganginarpar Road.
Prices of saris start from Tk 350 and go as high up as from Tk 7,000, said Ahmed.
"If the country's weavers can continue to churn out aesthetically-pleasing designs, the future for the handloom industry looks bright, which is good as thousands of families rely on it for their livelihood," Ahmed added.
However, it has not been all good news this Eid: men's tai-
loring has been flat so far.
“The sales until the 20th day of Ramadan has been very disappointing when compared to the previous years'," said Mahfuzur Rahman Selim, proprietor of the New Balaka at Hossain Plaza, a tailoring house.
The reason cited has been the tailoring charge which has gone up sharply, with customers now switching to readymade garments.
“Not many customers are coming through this time
around. We are not holding out hopes of a handsome profit," said a disappointed Mahfuzur.
It is the same story with the traders at Station Road and Choto Bazar of the town, who said the volume of sales so far has not been remarkable but it could have been had the price of paddy was more reasonable.
“Sales were better last year and we made a good profit, but this year a decent profit seems far-fetched,” he said.