Shoppers and businessmen in Barisal are not yet happy about the Eid market, with the shoppers blaming higher prices and the businessmen putting it to inclement weather.
Traffic on city commercial areas is still normal owing to the absences of shoppers’ rush this year, even after more than two thirds into the month of Ramadan.
City Eid markets at Chawk Bazar, Katpatti, Hemayetuddin Road, Fazlul Huq Avenue, Bogura Road, Sadar Road, Bazaar Road, Port Road were seen to experience good rush of shoppers, but least sale.
Although a huge number of shoppers are crowding the city’s shopping malls, the sale has not started yet got the momentum, said Ali Haidar, a salesman at Venus Shopping Complex of the city.
Saidur Rahman Rintu, president of Barisal Chamber Of Commerce and Industries, said they saw a fall in the sale this year as the buying capacity of the commoners fell drastically because of abnormal price hike of essential commodities and economic recession.
Bad weather has been another reason behind the dull Eid market.
Shoppers from city outskirts and rural areas are not coming to the Eid market because of inclement weather for the past few days, said Mosharraf Hossain, a shop owner of Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hawkers Market.
Like previous years, dresses of cotton yarns and named after different Indian TV serials and films are on demand, they said.
‘The women and youths are still choosing their Eid dresses and other items and the sale which has made a slow start due to recent inclement weather will catch up in last five days of Ramadan when people will get salaries and Eid bonus,’ said Bilkis Lily, owner of Achal Boutiques at Chawak Bazar .
‘Customers, coming to my outlet, are just watching the products, taking the idea about price and knowing fashion trends,’ said Abdul Huq, an owner of a dress selling shop at Barisal Chawk Bazaar.
Among the dresses Bunty, Babli, Khoka, Pilu priced Tk 600-3500 are for children, Paglu-2, Rawvan, Khoka Babu, Poramon priced Tk 1000-5000 for minor boys, Burby Tops, Lagging Tops, AB Tops for minor girls at a price Tk 1500-4000, Bahamoni, Tapur Tupur, Sonakkhi, Ashiki, Nusrat for young girls at the prices of Tk 3000-18000.
Sheikh Abdur Rahim, former president of Barisal Chamber of Commerce and Industries and owner of exclusive dressing materials seller Moyuri department store, said, ‘We are expecting that the sale will be high if the festival is be celebrated under a calm and quite environment and good weather condition.’
He expects a good sale in the last week of the Ramadan when the middle and lower income groups will throng their shops after getting salaries and Eid bonus.
Shukkur Mia, a hawker selling clothes in front of the Barisal district council, said, ‘Eid shopping is yet to get momentum in the city. There are many shoppers but very few buy my products.’
Mahbuba Hasan, a shopper visiting Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hawkars Market of the city, said she usually tries to finish her shopping within the second week of the Ramadan to avoid the rush but this year economic condition and downpour forced her to delay her shopping.
The market would be over crowded in the last week of Ramadan, said Naznin, a college girl.
Besides, the price of goods is comparatively higher than the first half of Ramadan, she added while trying to make a choice out of the newly designed dresses at the market.
Rokeya Begum, a college girl, after visiting different shops of the market, said new fashion items were yet to reach the market and usually at least 20 to 25 per cent increase in price was expected and affordable.
-With New Age input
