ZCZC
BSS-10
EID- SHOPPING-CTG
Eid shopping gets momentum in port city
CHATTOGRAM, June 10, 2018 (BSS)-As the holy Eid-ul-Fitr, one of the major
religious festivals of the Muslims, is drawing near, shopping has gained
momentum with great rush in the markets in port city.
The buyers are crowding in the city markets here to buy clothes and other
items for their families. All the city markets are seen busy selling their
commodities as crowds of customers at the shopping centers start in the
morning and continue till midnight.
With a rise in the number of buyers, traffic jam in the city’s different
busy areas including New Market, Chawkbazar, Probortok, Andarkillah, GEC,
Lalkhan Bazar crossings and Agrabad area become acute. Most salesmen said
that the sales have not yet reached its peak compared with past years’
although 21 Ramdan has passed.
Shoppers said that the prices of all products had increased by 10 to 20
percent than the last year.
‘The sales after the Ramadan 21 was around Taka 70 thousand a day last
year but this year the volume of sales came down to Taka 80 thousand a day,
said Ahmed Hossain, General Secretary of Metropolitan Shop Owner Association.
Talking to BSS, Abul Kashem, and President of General Metropolitan Shop
Owner Association said most of the public and private employees got their
salaries and festival bonus so the shopping has gained momentum with great
rush in port city.
According to the importers and wholesalers, this year’s most important
development centering the Eid shopping economy was pushing of Indian and
Chinese products – which are traditionally dominating in Bangladesh’s Eid
market.
Both Indian and local saris are also in great demand, Abdul Mannan, former
General Secretary of Terribazar Businessmen Association, said.
Different brands of local saris like Silk, Katan, Tangail and Indian
Kanjilal, are in great demand in the local markets.
Bangalore, Silk Katan, Anarkoli and Lehenga are being sold in higher prices
ranging from Taka 8000 to Taka 50,000.
Roadside footpath shops and small shops are found more crowded than the big
shopping malls.
Meanwhile, a large number of makeshift shops have sprung up on the
pavements of the city on the occasion of Eid. Prices of different varieties
of clothes, particularly cotton tissue, silk, and synthetic, have registered
a sharp rise although the shops are almost full of a variety of garments.
Varieties of Indian saris and three pieces are also flooded at shopping
centers, especially in Mimi Super Market, Terribazar and Reazuddin Bazar,
Amin Center, Ocean city, Moti Tower and Chittagong Shopping Complex.
Traffic department sources said, port city has been witnessing heavy
traffic congestion from mid Ramzan at New market, Reazuddin Bazar, Jubilee
Road, Station road , Andarkilla, Chawkbazar, Sholoshahar, Nasirabad, Agradab,
Dewan hat, Lalkhan Bazar and Bahaddarhat increasing flow of the buyers on the
occasion of the festival.
Traffic police were also seen struggling to tackle the situations in those
points.
Besides the crime busting elite force RAB, police are vigilant on the road
port city to check mugging, snatching, eve teasing and other unlawful
activities.
BSS/MAM/FI/ 1515 hrs