Malls and markets in the capital witnessed a huge surge of shoppers on Friday, the first day of two-day weekly holiday, when salesmen passed busy time dealing with customers.
After a four-day shutdown since Monday, people streamed into the shopping spots on the day for buying clothes, footwear, cosmetics and ornaments amid a brief splash of rain in the afternoon.
Due to strike people could not do shopping in the first week of Ramadan, so they rushed to the markets to buy Eid gifts for families and friends, said Minhaz Ahmed, a salesman at Basundhara City Complex.
He said every year from the first day of Ramadan they used to sell Eid items but this year the picture was different because of political unrest.
Shila Mohua, a banker who bought saris and punjabis from New Market, told New Age, ‘I have just started my Eid shopping. We will leave Dhaka to celebrate Eid in out home town so before that I have to buy gifts for all.’
‘Today I have bought clothes for my relatives only,’ said she.
Shila added that like previous years Indian and Pakistani dresses were dominating the dress market while only boutique houses preferred the traditional items.
Torun, a salesman of Banglar Mela, said this year Banglar Mela focused on the use of cotton to ensure comfort of the customers.
For women, this year’s collection of sari is mainly in andy, half silk, andy-cotton blend and Tangail clothes with their prices ranging from Tk 5,000 to Tk 9,500. In shalwar kameez section, Banglar Mela is bringing the biggest number of design and colour variation and the prices range from Tk 1,750 and Tk 2,650.
In Muscut Plaza Uttara there was a huge rush of customers and the salesmen were happy for good sales.
Rahat Haque, a government official, came to Metro Shopping Mall to buy punjabis, lungis and saris for parents.
He said every year he spends his Eid holidays with his parents in Sylhet and spends his Eid bonus for family shopping.
This year businessmen focused on contemporary and comfortable clothes, added Rahat.
For the upcoming Eid, Shirt Gallery has introduced special offer where clients can get a 15 per cent discount in shirt and pant pieces as well as in tailoring.
Varieties of check, striped, print and plain shirt pieces along with readymade shirts are also available there.
Giving special priority to colour, design and cutting fashion house Anjan have brought a vibrant collection of saris with screen print, embroidery and kantha stitch available at Tk 750 to Tk 6,000.
They are offering punjabi and fatuas both for men and women. Block print and embroidered ladies fatua at Tk 1,050 to Tk 2,500.
Fashion house Charka has introduced some new and exceptional designs for Eid in women’s sari, shalwar kameez and kurta. Among the different colours, green, light green, pink, violet and black have got preference.
Shoppers also crowded footwear markets in thousands to buy trendy shoes to brighten up the Eid celebration even more and footwear houses came up with new collections of local shoes for fashion conscious buyers.
Female shoppers also thronged the cosmetic and imitated jewelry shops.
Tahia Tumpa said, ‘I came to market to buy a pair of earrings to match my Eid dress.’
Mouchak market to Kakrail area, Segunbagicha, Karwan Bazar, Rajlaxmi Market-Azampur footpath were ruled by hawkers and they said for the shutdown last week they could not do any profit but on Friday people were coming out for Eid shopping.
Saris, punjabis, dresses, shoes, ornament — everything is available in the markets at a very reasonable price, said university student Munia Farhana.
She bought bed cover and readymade curtain from footpath for Eid.
-With New Age input
