MD ABBAS

With only 18 days left until one of the biggest religious festivals in the country, sales are yet to pick up at New Market, the largest clothing market in the city. Traders have reported a decline in customers compared to previous years and attributed this to the high prices of all things, including raw materials.

Shahidul Alam Shaheed, owner of Fariha Boutique at New Market, stated that although Eid shopping has begun, it has yet to gain momentum. He hopes to see the proper flow of customers after the 15th day of Ramadan.

This correspondent noticed Md Lal Miah, a staffer at Shari Gallery, sitting at the entrance of the shop. When asked about the sales, he expressed concern about the low turnout of customers. He also gestured towards other shops adjacent to his, where no customers were present, and stated that the market used to be so crowded during this time of the year that they couldn’t move. However, this year, on the 11th day of Ramadan, they were not experiencing a good customer flow.

Explaining the reason behind the low turnout, Mohammad Rasel, a staffer at Kashfia Fabrics, said, “Most of the people who come to the market are from middle and lower-middle-income groups. If they have extra money after buying essentials, only then people buy clothes.”

Traders at various shops in the New Market area echoed this sentiment and shared similar experiences.

Several customers who preferred shopping at affordable prices in those shops have expressed their dissatisfaction with the unusually high prices this year.