Once a pioneer, now lost on modern trends

Eastern Plaza – the first modern, multi-storied and fully air conditioned shopping centre in Bangladesh – took Dhaka dwellers by storm when it launched in 1990. Widely regarded as a pioneer, the mall catered to the ever changing shopping landscape from 1992 to mid-2000s.

Once a dazzling spending destination, Eastern Plaza gradually became a second choice for most of the capital city’s shoppers in recent years.

Many modern malls such as the Bashundhara City Shopping Complex, Jamuna Future Park, and Shimanto Square have emerged over the years, providing grandiose food courts, movie theatres, games and kids centres.

Consumers nowadays look for such amenities when visiting a mall, as it enhances their shopping experience. A number of shop owners and consumers pointed out that the Eastern Plaza fell behind its competitors because it could not keep up with this trend.

But the mall – located in the Hatirpool area – still has its loyal customers who have been shopping here for decades.

Mohammad Anisul Islam, one such shopper hailing from the capital’s Wari area, said, “In our time, the Eastern Plaza was the flagship mall of our country. We used to shop here during holidays with family and friends.

“This place used to be very crowded with people of all ages, who spent hours here. Back then, it was the only destination for fashionable, premium clothes for women and children.”

Still good for smartphone buyers

Eastern Plaza still has an excellent reputation for offering top quality smartphones and other accessories for sale at affordable prices. Such products currently make up the bulk of its sales, insiders said.

Golam Rahman, a former banker and a resident in Hatirpool Kacha Bazar area, was visiting the mall to repair his mobile phone.

Sharing his experience, Rahman said, “It has been my favorite shopping mall for years. When they built this mall here, there was nothing like it. People from both Dhaka and across the country used to shop here.

“Droves of people from all ages used to meet and eat here. But now the younger generation has a lot of options. They now prefer more modern malls like Bashundhara City Shopping Complex and Jamuna Future Park.”

Rokonuzzaman Toha, a student of Dhaka University, came to the mall to do a smartphone price comparison with the stores in Bashundhara City Shopping Complex.

“I however want to buy my phone from the Bashundhara Shopping Complex. It has a lot of stores which are quite popular on social media, and they run exciting offers. The mall itself is a good place for hangouts.”

The business of RK Electronics, one of the oldest mobile phone repair shops in the Eastern Plaza, peaked between 2000 and 2015. After this period, other modern shopping malls emerged and RK Electronics began losing their customers.

Shop employees say they still have a loyal customer base. Though the younger people go elsewhere, most of their customers visit this store for the quality and reliability of services provided by the RK Electronics.

Al Amin Miazi, the owner of Miazi Telecom at the mall, said, “Despite this mall’s decreasing popularity, my customers do not go anywhere else as we sell authentic brand products. Most sellers in Eastern Plaza offer quality services.”

The stores Shruti Mega Mart and Ha-Za-Ba-Ra-La have been selling women’s dresses in the mall for more than twenty years.

Mohammad Zahir, the owner of Shruti Mega Mart said, “The shops here somewhat failed to keep pace with the younger generation’s demands. We lack variety compared to other modern shopping malls. But we are trying to reshape our business according to popular trends.”

Md Mirazul Islam, an official of Ha-Za-Ba-Ra-La said, “The shop owners association has recently taken some initiatives such as installing modern elevators and escalators, CCTV cameras, improving security facilities at the mall, which is helping us get more customers.”

The Eastern Plaza Shop Owners Association said the pandemic has severely affected businesses here. After the pandemic, the association is thinking of new ways to enhance customer service and attract more people.