Staff Reporter:
Shopping malls across the capital are witnessing a surge of shoppers from morning to midnight as people rush to buy clothes, shoes, and other favorite items for their loved ones ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, the largest religious festival of Muslims.
People are thronging shopping malls, brand outlets, small and big markets and footpaths with their fami-ly and friends, eager to complete their festival purchases before time runs out.
After visiting different shopping malls in the capital including Mirpur ECB Chattar, Bashundhara Shop-ping Centre, Mouchak, Bailey Road, New Market, and Dhanmondi, it was seen shoppers thronged inside and outside the marketplaces.
All major shopping centers in the city have been adorned with colorful lights, while buildings and roads in different areas have been illuminated with red, blue, and green decorative lighting. Sales persons are passing busy time for handling the rush of customers, especially in the stores of clothes and shoes
Customers, from a diverse range of backgrounds, are buying for their desired Eid items, including kids wear, Punjabis, sarees, three-pieces and accessories.
Traders said people have received their March salaries and festival bonuses which have allowed them to budget for Eid shopping.
Meanwhile, street vendors in Gulistan and Purana Paltan struggled to manage the influx of buyers.
Rafiul Hasan, a salesman at Aarong in Dhanmondi, said the shopping rush began earlier than in previous years.
“Since morning, our outlet has seen a huge crowd, which keeps increasing after noon. Apart from Pun-jabis, sarees, and kids’ wear, various cosmetic items, jewelry, and ladies’ handbags are also in high de-mand,” he said.
Ariful Islam, a salesman at Easy Fashion on Elephant Road, echoed similar sentiments, stating that new collections of cotton and comfortable fabric shirts, t-shirts, and pants are in high demand this Eid.
“New collections of cotton and comfortable fabric shirts, t-shirts, pants are in high demand on the occa-sion of Eid,” he added.
Markets such as Newmarket, Gausia Market, Noor Mansion Market, Dhanmondi Hawkers market and Noorjahan Mansion have seen more female shoppers.
Similarly, Chandrima super Market and Dhaka New Super Market, Nurjahan Super Market and Globe Shopping Center shirt-pant shops were crowded with young buyers.
Besides, the Baitul Mamur Jame Masjid Market in ScienceLab, the Punjabi-pajama shop in Priyangan Shopping Center and the shoe shops in Elephant Road also witnessed a throng of shoppers.
Mahbubur Rahman, seller of Chandrima Super Market, said that there is a huge sale from evening to midnight.
“We have kept clothes in the shop by prioritizing the customer’s needs. Hoping this time business will be better than last time,” he added.
Tanya Khatun, a shopper at Dhanmondi Hawkers Market, said she is shopping early as she plans to travel to her village before the last-minute rush.
“Traders are demanding higher prices, so I have to bargain a lot,” she added.
Another shopper, Fahima Akhter , came from Bakshi Bazar area of the capital to Elephant Road to buy shoes for her family members. She said she buys clothes from New Market and shoes from Elephant Road every year for his family and relatives.
Meanwhile, going to the New Market area, it was seen that members of the law enforcement were active to ensure the safety of people who came to shop in the New Market area. Security is being monitored from the information and service center booth.
New Market Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohsin Uddin said security has been strengthened everywhere.
“Law enforcement members are working at 10 spots across the area. Four patrol teams are round the clock ensuring security. At the same time, policemen are working in white clothes to prevent minor crimes including theft of mobile phones and money, he said.
