Shawdesh Desk:

Rain couldn’t stop Eid shoppers from checking in the malls and markets in the capital to buy their desired products on Friday, the weekly holiday.

Customers crowded Bashundhara City Shopping Mall, Pink City, Jamuna Future Park and different shops at Elephant Road, Mouchak Market, New Market, Chandni Chawk, Gausia and other malls and markets since morning.

The adverse weather has only served to deter them from shopping during afternoon. Upon the completion of Iftar, people flooded markets on shopping sprees that will last until chaand raat (the night before Eid).

Shopkeepers said dresses and footwear were selling well as the number of shoppers started to rise at Bashundhara City Shopping Mall after the rain stopped.

Businessman Tariqul Qader, a resident of Bhairab in Kishoreganj, told the Daily Sun that he along with his wife and children travelled all the way from his hometown in order to buy new clothes for his family from the posh shopping mall of the country.

“There are many shops in Bhairab and Kishoreganj, but my wife and children prefer to buy their clothes and other items from Bashundhara City for availability of all kinds of goods and its fixed price. Therefore, I have brought my wife and two daughters with me,” he said.

Following the clash between traders and Dhaka College students, most shops in New Market, Chandni Chawk, Gausia, Chandrima Super Market, Globe Shopping Mall and Nurjahan Market have returned to old form.

Shoppers were seen going from one shop to another in search for their Eid dresses, footwear and ornaments, but the number of them was much less compared to pre-confrontation days.

Shops with children’s dresses and electrical goods were also doing good business. Despite the fact that many shops and brands were offering discounts and boasting of sales, some shoppers complained about inflated prices.

“People from lower-middle income groups, such as me, cannot afford branded clothes or footwear. Therefore, I have come here to buy locally made products but it seems that price of most of the products are beyond my reach,” private service holder Hafsa Begum said.

Many of the shopkeepers at New Market and adjacent shops expressed frustration that the sale was not satisfactory due to the rain.

Owner of Rafin Fashion at New Market Aminul Islam said, “I thought today (Friday), on the weekly holiday, we would witness a good sale and recover the loss incurred during the several days of clash. But rain has marred my hope. Sale would be better, if it had not rained in the afternoon.”

He hoped that the sale would pick up further with the date people’s Eid journey comes closer and they get Eid bonus.

Shops at Elephant Roads, however, earned huge response from Eid shoppers on Friday. Traders of the area were doing good business.

“Since many people have got Eid bonus, our sales have gained momentum. We are competing with clock to satiate the thirst of our customers. After two years of pandemic-hit dull business seasons, this is really great,” footwear outlet Bata’s sales manager Jannatul Ferdaus said at Elephant Road.