As the holy Eid-ul-Fitr, the largest religious festival of the Muslims, is drawing near, Eid shopping has gained momentum in Chattogram as hundreds of buyers are thronging the showrooms of top fashion brands and markets of the port city.
All the city markets are seen busy selling their commodities as huge crowd of customers flocked at the shopping centers which open in the morning and continue till midnight.
With a rise in the number of buyers, traffic jam in city's different busy areas including New Market, Chawkbazar, Probortok, Anderkillah, GEC crossing, Lalkhan Bazar, Sanmar city, Sholoshar, Bahaddarhat, CEPZ area and Agrabad area have become acute.
Most salesmen said that the sales have reached its peak compared to last year although 15th Ramadan has already passed.
Shoppers said that the prices of all products had increased by 15 to 30 percent than the last year.
'The sales after the Ramadan 15 was around TK 95 thousand a day last year but this year the volume of sales increased to TK one lakh 20 thousand a day, said Mohammad Ali, General Secretary of Moti Tower Shop Owner Association.
Talking to BSS, Salamat Ali, President of Metropolitan Shop Owner Association said most of the public and private employees got their festival bonuses so the shopping has gained momentum with great rush of people in port city.
According to the importers and wholesalers, this year's most important development centering the Eid shopping economy was pushing of Indian and Chinese products - which are traditionally dominating Bangladesh's Eid market. Besides, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian and Thailand-made readymade garments, three-pieces for girls, shoes, cosmetics, kids item and other fashion products are being sold.
Popular Indian clothes are being sold at prices ranging from Taka 5000 to Taka 38,000. Both Indian and local saris are also in great demand, said Sale Ahmed Solayman, President of Chatogram district Shop Owner Association quoting different market sources said.
Different brands of local saris like Silk, Katan, Tangail and Indian Kanjilal, are in great demand in the local markets.
Bangalore, Silk Katan and Lehenga are being sold in higher prices ranging from Taka 8000 to Taka 60,000. Roadside footpath shops and small shops are found more crowded than the big shopping malls.
Meanwhile, a large number of makeshift shops have sprung up on the pavements of the city on the occasion of Eid.
Prices of different varieties of clothes, particularly cotton tissue, silk, and synthetic, have registered a sharp rise although the shops are almost full of a variety of garments.
The rich buyers are crowding different big shopping centers, while the low- income people are also seen purchasing their desired items from the footpath shops in the city.
Supply of goods, including foreign brands, in the market is abundant. The goods vary from luxury to household items, Solayman said.
Varieties of Indian saris and three pieces also flooded the shopping centers, especially in Mimi Super Market, Teribazar and Reazuddin Bazar, Amin Center, Sanmar Ocean city, Moti Tower and Chittagong Shopping Complex.
Traffic department sources said, port city has been witnessing heavy traffic congestion from mid Ramadan at New market, Reazuddin Bazar, Jubilee Road, Station road , Andarkilla, Chawkbazar, Sholoshahar, Nasirabad, Agradab, Dewan hat, Lalkhan Bazar and Bahaddarhat due to increased flow of buyers on the occasion of the Eid festival.
Traffic police were also seen struggling to tackle the situations in those points.
Mahbubul Alam, Commander of RAB-7, told BSS that the crime busting elite force RAB, and other law enforcers are vigilant on the road port city to check mugging, snatching, eve teasing and other unlawful activities.
