Trading in the Dhaka city witnesses a sharp rise in junk ornament sales ahead of Eid, while the gold and silver jewellers claim that recent hikes in gold and other precious metals cause dramatic fall in the sales of their products.
Traders have said that the jewellery outlets and shops that sell gold plated ornaments, junk jewelleries and American diamonds are doing brisk business.
A great number of shoppers, especially women, have been found thronging ornament shops in posh shopping centres like Basundahra City, Rifles Square, Metro and Aarong.
Other city markets like Baitul Mokarram, Gaushia and Chadni Chawak and even street markets also pulled a huge crowd.
Shoppers, however, have express considerable disappointment at the high price of gold, silver and other precious metal jewelleries.
A Basundhara City’s Momo Jewellery attendant has said that gold plated ornaments are among the top choices of the buyers as these are cheaper than the gold jewelleries.
Another shopkeeper at Shell Design has acknowledged that the demand of metal ornaments and junk jewelleries have increased in recent times.
Shell Design usually sells ornaments made of oyster or snail shells imported from the South Korea and Thailand.
Another shopkeeper of the shop has said that the huge consumers come to their shop everyday are mostly young who choose very simple, but sleek designs.
‘We always keep a range of variations in our products and so we have a vast market to make a good profit,’ he added.
Jewellery shop Celebration’s shopkeepers have insisted that in this season American diamond jewelleries are in top of the choice among the consumers.
The American diamond jewelleries look like real diamond ornaments and very much cheaper, they have added.
They have also said that ladies like these jewelleries as these give them a posh look and are also sustainable.
A shopkeeper of Gaina Ghar at Riffles Square has told New Age that they are selling gold plated ornaments, mainly made of silver.
At present, consumers want silver jewellery with glass beads and pearl as only silver-made ornaments cost them high, he has said.
Same opinion also has been echoed by the jewellers at Chadni Chawk and Gaushia markets.
Jonaki Churi Ghar and Fashion Churi Ghar are popular bangles sellers in Gaushia market.
The shops owners have said that that this year they are selling junk jewelleries more than gold and silver bangles.
The country’s biggest gold jewellery market, Baitul Mokarram, however, found more deserted than other markets.
The traders at that market have reported very poor sales in this year’s Eid trading.
Only at a few shops, namely Venus Jewellers, consumers have been found buying gold jewelleries.
‘The high gold prices and increased VAT on jewelleries have kept the customers out of the market,’ observed an attendant at a shop at the market.
-With New Age input
