<i>Eid shopping yet to gain momentum</i>
Two girls admire bangles at a shop of Central Plaza in the port city.
There are huge display of various types of dresses in over 100 markets, including several posh shopping malls, but Eid shopping in the port city is yet to gain momentum for lack of buyers. Shopkeepers are not happy with the poor sale even though two weeks of Ramadan have already passed. Buyers and sellers expressed mixed reaction blaming costly price of dresses and clothing, unprecedented price hike of different commodity items over the previous months and financial crisis for the poor sale. Due to financial constraint, people from the middle or lower middle class families still remain as window shoppers while the affluent section is looking for the latest vogue. People of well off section who are in search of latest fashion in design and colour usually throng the posh shopping malls like New Market (Bipani Bitan), Amin Centre, Sanmar Ocean City, Central Plaza, Mimi Super Market, Chittagong Shopping Complex as well as some popular outlets like Nabarupa, Pride, Aarong, Anjan's, Mia Bibi, K-crafts, Westecs, Revlon, Cat's Eye, Matra, Nari and Menz Club. Middle class customers like to shop at Reazuddin Bazar, Terri Bazar, Tamakumandi Lane Bazar, Lucky Plaza, Chawk View Market, Shopping Complex, Singapore-Bangkok Market and other markets for availability of necessary items at reasonable price. Zahur Hawker Market and a number of city points where hawkers set up makeshift shops, however, remains the most popular outlet for the lower middle class and the poor. But a similar picture of poor sale at all types of markets was seen while visiting these markets last week. Abdur Rahim, staff of a renowned saree shop of New Market Odud Fashion, said a good number of their regular customers from well off families who used to buy uncommon sarees at high price on the occasion of Eid are unwilling to expend for pricey items this year. People who bought a saree of Tk 10,000 or more last years are now looking for cheaper ones, said Rahim, adding that buying capacity of people has been reduced. Odud Fashion has collected Indian sarees of boutiques with brand names as Sonia and Aditya having decoration of antiques over chiffon silk with prices varying between Tk 5,000 and Tk 8,000. Jacks Fashion, another saree shop in this market popular for local products, offers Tangail Silk from Tk 2,000 to Tk 4,500. Customers look for Jacks Aplic decorated with stone, glass that cost Tk 1000 to Tk 2050. Mayabee, a saree shop on the second floor of Amin Centre, has brought collections of variety of silk like silk chinon with prices varying between Tk 7,000 to Tk 15,000, mokhon silk decorated with Bombay boutiques and karchupi with prices from Tk 3,000 to Tk 5,000. Married women are craving for Indian katan that costs Tk 3,000 to Tk 5,000, said Osman Gani, proprietor of Mayabee, on Sunday. The shop charges Tk 5,000 to Tk 10,000 for a lehri katan saree. Traders have collected many foreign pricey varieties since both the Eid and Durga Puja (main religious festival of Hindu community) will coincide this year. “We hoped that the sale would get an extra stroke due to Eid and Puja going to happen almost at the same time but the spree is yet to get momentum, said Osman. Though thousands are crowding city malls and it is increasing every day, but customers are looking for cheaper items. Abdullah, working in a private firm, managed to satisfy every member of his family last year with a handsome budget of Tk 20,000. He said this year he needs Tk 5,000 more to meet the same demand due to increased price of garment. Some posh outlets such as Revlon, Cat's Eye, Menz Klub, Ruby Red, Handi Bazar and Khakki also have nice collections of shirts and pants for gents. Shirt, formal or casual, are being sold in these outlets at Tk 700 to Tk 1500. Salwar kameej, decorated with different artistic patterns with brand names like Anarkali or named after the Indaian stars Katrina Kaif and Sania Mirza, have become the craze among the young girls. Sat Rang, a shop exclusively for three-piece at Amin Centre. has arrayed with a good collection of three-pieces of multi-designs. Anarkali on tissue clothes are being sold at Tk 6,000 to Tk 22,000 while Katrina Kaif at Tk 8,000 to Tk, 12,000. Sabrina, student of a private university, said the price was higher then the previous year when a brand three-piece could easily be bought within Tk 2,500 to 4,000. Traders blamed higher customs charge and increased production cost due to variety in design for the higher price. They, however, hopes that the sale will rise in a day or two with start of the spree of buying.
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