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Eid Shopping

Sales low as markets see less crowd

Md Fazlur Rahman
Business centres in the capital yesterday saw a thin presence of Eid shoppers as thousands of city people had already left for their village homes.
Ismail Hossain, a salesman at Ibrahim Handicrafts in Eastern Plaza, said the relatively early beginning of Eid holidays this year had led to the significant fall in the number of shoppers.
Mohammad Samiullah, manager of Lamiha Saris at the same market, echoed Hossain's view, and said the sales did not fulfil their expectations this year.
"We had been waiting for this month...but our sales ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr this year have been much lower than last year's," he told The Daily Star.
People went into a week's holiday beginning with National Mourning Day on August 15, followed by Shab-e-Qadr and set to continue through the weekend and Eid-ul-Fitr.
But the thin presence of customers at shopping centres was a boon to some people like Mahbubur Rahman, an employee at an insurance company.
He took his family to Bashundhara Shopping Mall from Jatrabari yesterday to do Eid shopping without being pushed and shoved by frenzied shoppers.
"The crowd at the mall was thinner compared to that in pastyears," he said.
However, the prices of commodities did not conform to the simple economics of demand and supply.
“I came to buy a panjabi but the prices were so high... I'll have to return home empty-handed," said a disappointed Rahman.
M o h a in m a d M asum, manager of Ornima Gity, a store for both men's and women's wear, said sales at the store would have been much better had the holidays not started early this year.
Most shop owners said they were doubtful whether there would be any jump in sales in the next couple of days as many city people had already left for their village homes.
Masud nr Rahman, owner of Maliha Fancy Sari at Gausia market, said the prices of some items had gone up this year, which may have frustrated customers.
Zamir Uddin, a security guard at Gausia, said the crowd of shoppers was much thinner than in the last few years.
Tn the past, we had always struggled to handle the crowd, but it has been easy this year."
The makeshift shops on footpaths were also hit hard.
"Our sales have gone down as our main customers have left the city. Overall, sales are lower compared to last year," said Mohammad Jubaer, who was selling shirts at Karwan Bazar.
Shop owners said people slaying in the capital during Eid are their last hope for decent Eid sales.
"The locals always shop in the last couple of days of Ramadan. We hope they do the same this year," said Samiullah, manager of Lamiha Saris.
However, business has not been dull for many brand shops.
"The early departure of city people has not affected our sales. In fact, our sales have been good from the very beginning of Ramadan," said Mominul Islam Ripon, in-charge of Lubnan, a popular panjabi store at Bashundhara Shopping Mall.
Gallerie Apex also saw good sales, said Sohanur Rahman, an assistant manager of the chain footwear store.
Tapan Das, manager of Menz Klub at Bashundhara Shopping Mall, said sales had picked up substantially after the first week of Ramadan.
"Our sales have been good throughout Ramadan. We hope it will be even better in the next couple of days," said Salam Kabir, area sales manager of Jenny's, a popular footwear brand.