With just nine days left for the Eid-ul-Fitr, one of the biggest religious festivals of the Muslims, Rajshahi city has been caught by Eid shopping fever with modern and traditional shopping malls bustling with shoppers from all strata.
Thousands of people are shopping with huge enthusiasm despite significant rise in prices of all kinds of clothes compared to the previous two consecutive years which were almost dull for both the shoppers and buyers caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
With aesthetic colour and design of the silk wears, a large number of people irrespective of age and gender especially the adolescents are humming towards the showrooms to collect their best choice this year vibrating its sale.
Sources said silk wears valued at around Taka 50-55 crore are likely to be sold during the current Eid season.
Silk fabrics, woven and designed by local artisans, are in huge demand in the Eid markets of the city, with the affluent people rushing to the city silk showrooms every day. Movement of the shoppers has created huge traffic congestion in the major shopping areas. Shop owners told BSS that sales were showing an upward trend since the last couple of days.
Salesmen of different markets, footpaths, makeshift sales centers are passing busy time from morning to midnight as shoppers of all ages gathered there, they added.
Market sources said the overall sale was much higher this year because of further improvement in the economic condition of people from all classes.
Deployment of law enforcers at different points and market places and engagement of private security men at shopping malls by the authorities concerned have ultimately ensured a fool-proof security for businessmen as well as shoppers.
Rajshahi Metropolitan Traffic Police sources said movement of thousands of battery-run auto-rickshaws has deteriorated the traffic situation here, though the situation is so far better now.
The RMP traffic department also blocked all intersections in front of all markets and shopping malls to ensure uninterrupted movement of vehicles.
"RMP has set up police boxes beside the gates of all busy markets and our police officials are sincerely making people aware about the traffic system all the time," said Anirban Chakma, Deputy Commissioner (Traffic) in RMP.
Sekendar Ali, general secretary of RDA Market Businessmen Association, said he had not faced any untoward situation from the first day of Ramadan.
"The volume of sales is much higher this year," Abdur Razzaque, owner of Razzaque Bastraloy at RDA Market, said.
He added the products particularly Salwar-Kameez for girls, shoes, sarees with embroidery and stone work, punjabi, and shirts produced by local fashion houses were attracting the customers.
The shopping places become jam-packed, taking festive looks daily from noon.
Market sources said prices of the clothes for male, female and children were more reasonable than the previous years.
The Eid shoppers are rushing mostly to RDA Market, New Market, Sonadighi Silk Market and other markets and shopping malls in the city.
The girls and adolescents are mostly purchasing three pieces of various designs like "Tumili', "Chhanchhan", "Ranjona", and "AnarKali".
The buyers from the richer class are also selecting and purchasing their best choice whatever the price is while the middle and low-income groups are seen bargaining with the sellers.
Traders expressed happiness over sales and hoped that the selling will further increase.
