With 10 days left before Eid-ul-Fitr, Dhaka New Market — the largest commercial shopping hub for the dwellers of the capital city — is currently seeing a massive number of shoppers every day and traders are expecting bigger sales than last year.
Thousands of people are flocking to New Market and other adjacent markets and different brand outlets every day to buy new clothes for their loved ones.
Traders and vendors said that customers started shopping from the beginning of Ramadan, which is earlier than other years. They said that Eid will likely be celebrated on April 10 or 11 and they are expecting a much bigger crowd of shoppers near the end of Ramadan.
New Market and its neighbouring markets are seeing a huge crowd of customers from morning till midnight nowadays, due to the availability of various products including clothes, other lifestyle products, crockery, jewellery, and home furnishings.
On the surface, from the Science Laboratory intersection to the New Market intersection, there are multiple markets and shopping malls, including Gausia, Chandrima, Noorjahan, Globe Shopping Centre and Chandni Chawk.
A large gathering of buyers can be seen in every one of them daily, clamouring and haggling with buyers for the goods of their liking.
The shops selling panjabis, sarees and other clothing products in the markets are seeing the bigger crowds. Traders, however, said that the “real rush” will begin when people get their salaries and Eid bonuses this week.
Meanwhile, buyers have complained about the prices of the clothes. They claimed that the sellers were asking for much higher prices this time around.
A buyer, Takvir Ahmed, said, “Traders of the New Market area have a habit of asking for extra prices for a long time. At one shop, they are selling a panjabi at Tk 5,000. I bought that same type of panjabi at Tk 1,000 last year!”
“There are many collections for Eid but the sellers are holding the price. They know that most of the buyers come from outside of Dhaka to do Eid shopping. That's why they are asking for extra prices on clothes,” he told The Business Post.
Another customer, Romana Islam, said, “I bought a saree and a three-piece dress. Maximum shopkeepers claimed that the prices written on the products were fixed. But I managed to buy them at lower prices after bargaining for a long time.
“Most of us who come from far away tend to buy everything we need in one day. The traders know this. That's why they keep the prices a lot higher.”
On the other hand, traders said that electricity bills, shop rent and other incidental expenses have increased in recent times. That’s why they had to raise the prices of their products this year, compared to past years. However, many also claimed that they are trying to sell more at a low profit.
Morning till midnight
Regarding the number of customers, Ruhan Islam, a sales staff of a clothing shop at Chandrima Super Market, said. “People start coming in the morning or before 12pm and the flood continues till 1am at the very least. This has been happening since Ramadan started.”
“The crowd will be way bigger in the last few days before Eid. The Eid collection is also bigger in our store. Since it’s a bit hot this time, we are selling thin cloth t-shirts and half-sleeved shirts alongside our Eid collection,” he said.
Mamun, a salesman at a men's shop on the third floor of New Market, said, "This year's Eid sales are good so far even though the number of people buying is less than the number of people coming to the market every day. The prices are a bit high. But if we can’t sell at higher prices, we will not be able to continue the business."
Talking to The Business Post, New Market Shop Owners' Association President Dewan Aminul Islam said, “New Market and adjacent markets are witnessing massive crowds around Eid. But the traders are yet to see the desired sales.”
“Earlier, people from different districts used to come here to buy and give gifts to their relatives on Eid. But now the district towns and suburban areas have beautiful markets. So the tendency to go and shop in their areas is increasing. Traffic jams are a major problem for the New Market area but police are doing their best,” he said.
In addition, New Market police station Officer-in-Charge Md Aminul Islam said that adequate security measures have been taken so that people can shop without worrying.
“Warning announcements are being made to the general public from our temporary control room from time to time. At the same time, the intelligence department is active along with the uniformed police. So far, we haven't had any problems. We hope to continue in a beautiful environment till the end,” he added.
