With Eid-ul-Fitr and Pohela Boishakh approaching, shoppers in Dhaka are displaying a cautious approach to their purchases, favouring Eid shopping over preparations for the Bangla New Year due to economic concerns and the close proximity of two celebrations.
As Pohela Boishakh is only two days after Eid-ul-Fitr this year, the traditional Boishakh-centric shopping has not yet picked up steam, leading consumers to prioritise Eid shopping over Boishakh festivities.
Traders have responded to the shift in consumer shopping trend by diversifying clothing designs for both occasions, but the inflationary pressure has prompted shoppers to be thriftier in their purchases.
During recent spot visits, more customers are seen buying clothes and goods for Eid than the Pohela Boishakh in different markets across Dhaka, including in those in Shahbagh, New Market, Dhanmondi, Mohammadpur, and Mirpur areas.
This time people are getting Eid and Boishakhi allowances together, which should increase their purchasing power, and the Boishakhi-centric economy grew in size. However, due to Eid being in a very short period, the sale of Boishakh separately is decreasing.
In this regard, Bangladesh Shop Business Owners’ Association President Md Nazmul Hasan Mahmud said, “As Eid and Boishakh coincide; people are giving more preference to Eid clothes. Our business is centred on Elephant Road, where customers prefer to buy Eid clothes.
“Both festivals are important for our business. Even if the two festivals are 15 days apart, we could do good business. Though people are cautious about spending money, they will get Eid and Boishakh salaries and bonuses this month. We expect good business as Ramadan ends.”
According to industry insiders, 50 per cent of the total sales of fashion houses across the country are during Eid, while 25 per cent is on the first Boishakh. However, since the two festivals are at the same time, the sales of Pohela Boishakh are comparatively less.
BRAC-Aarong Assistant General Manager of Marketing Syed Redwanur Rahman said, “For the last few years, Boishakh has merged with the Eid festival. So our projection and forecast is in accordance with the phenomenon, and we have prepared accordingly.
“Our business trajectory and sales situation are problem free from that perspective.”
He added, “We did launch a small Boishakh collection towards the end of last month, as Boishakh this year, for the first time in the last few years, going to be outside the Ramadan window, though the days between Eid and Boishakh are still very adjacent.
“We are observing a good sale of our Boishakh collection as well.”
Most of the dresses are designed in such a way that they can be worn on both the festivals of Eid and Boishakh. Generally, most of the buyers are buying Eid clothes.
Redwanur continued, “Eid has been our top priority for the last few years as Boishakh fell within the Ramadan period. As the customer buying pattern changed; our approach, forecasting and projection changed as well.
“Hence the loss in sales due to the overlapping of these festivals was not in equation for us.”
It should be noted that in various shops and markets, apart from a few clothing brands, there are few places where Pohela Boishakh-centric clothing is made. In particular, red patterned clothing on white clothes is rarely seen.
The clothing store “Grameen Sambhar” in the Mirpur-10 area usually focuses on sales of Pohela Boishakh clothing during this period of the year.
Grameen Sambhar Manager Imran Hossain said, “Due to the Eid season, we do not have any special collection of clothes on the occasion of Pohela Boishakh this year. This time, Eid clothes are mainly being sold. So far, we have sold less than 20 per cent of our target.”
Customers also prefer to buy clothes for Eid instead of Pahela Boishakh. Sharmin, who came with her daughter to the market to shop for Eid, said, “Every year, we buy different clothes for both Eid and Pohela Boishakh. But this time I am only shopping clothes for Eid.”
The inflationary pressure is also forcing people to spend less money.
Salam, another shopper, said, “People are willing to buy clothes for festivals if they have enough money. I always buy two Punjabis for Eid and Boishakh, but I only bought one red Punjabi this year. I will wear this Punjabi during both Eid and Boishakh celebrations.”
Traders talked about the increase in the price of clothes. Md Rony, a vendor who sells children’s clothes in the New Market, said, “The price of each dress for children up to one-year-old has increased by Tk 80 to Tk 100 this year where the price of big children's clothes has increased by Tk 100 to Tk 200.
Customers are doing more Eid shopping. Clothing items from Pohela Boishakh are not being sold separately, Mohammad Simanto, a salesman of Jahanara Enterprises in New Market, pointed out.
