Computer sales at Multiplan Centre double in pandemic

Though the pandemic hit hard almost all the businesses, it somehow came as a boon for the business of computer and IT accessories.

As academic institutions opted for online classes, corporate houses and business establishments, banks and even government offices preferred work from home through online, retail sales of computer and other IT accessories almost doubled.

Sellers at the Multiplan Centre on Elephant Road in Dhaka, a major hub of computer and IT accessories in the capital, said they had a tough time during the pandemic to meet the requirements of the customers.

The first ten floors of the 14-storied Multiplan Centre features the market with official name Computer City Centre houses more than 750 showrooms of computer and IT accessories where about 3,500 people are employed. 

The market holds about 50 per cent market share of retail computer and IT accessories inside Dhaka, said the owners.

Subrata Sarker, Secretory of the Multiplan Centre Shop Owners Association, said the total turnover at the market now stands at Tk 700 crore to Tk 800 crore which was Tk 60 to Tk 70 crore in 2001. 

“We could not deliver the product as per the demand of buyers during the pandemic,” said Subrata.

He claimed that Multiplan Centre is the lone market in entire South Asia where all kinds of computer and IT related are found under a single roof. 

Most of the IT products available at Multiplan Centre are imported from China, Thailand, Malaysia and India. Smart Technologies (BD) Ltd, Computer Source, Global Brand (pvt) Ltd, UCC and Excel Technologies Ltd are prominent among the importers at the market.

All the computer and IT distribution houses in Bangladesh have retail shops in the market.

Alongside brand new computers, second-hand computers are also traded at the market. There are also a number of servicing and repairing shops at the market.   

Anyone intended to sell used computer at the market need to bring national identity card and purchase document of the product, said a leader of the market committee.

Arifa Khatun came to Multiplan Centre to buy a desktop computer for her child as the education system now turned web based and technology became part and parcel of daily life.

Md Rakibul Islam came to the market for servicing his CPU which he brought six months ago. He gets the service free of cost under warrantee.

Wahiduzzaman, owner of Microsun Systems, said that right the gaming products are top sellers.

Kobir Khan, a sales person at Tech Hill, said sales of computers peaked and prices also increased in line with the demand.

Tawfique Ehsan, President of the Multiplan Centre Shop Owners Association, said, “The market offers tailor-made solutions for all types computer and IT related problems even the toughest and complex ones.”

“We are committed to deliver good products with guarantee and it attracts the buyers,” he added.

At the evening hours, the ground floor of the market and the entrance was found fully occupied with packed products ready for delivery through currier services.

SM Anwar Ayub, a businessman at the market, said the products are supplied to remote corners of the country every day.

“Many wholesale buyers order their products over the phone and we deliver the ordered products through courier services,” he added.

Mohammad Ullah Khan, Manager In-charge of USB Express courier service’s Elephant Road branch, said they deliver at least a fully loaded covered van of IT related products, mostly from Multiplan Centre, to many districts.