Eid shopping reached its peak on Wednesday in the capital as people in their thousands thronged posh and luxurious shopping malls and markets for last minute Eid shopping.
Shop owners were trying their best to satisfy the customers with the best collections as well as cover up their losses they faced in the beginning of Ramadan because of general strikes.
There were huge rush at New Market, Gausia, Rapa Plaza, Metro Shopping Mall, Basundhara City Shopping Mall, Mouchak Market, Fortuna, Muscut Plaza, Rajlaxmi Market, different boutique shops of Banani road no 11 and Mirpur.
People swarmed onto the shopping malls to buy sari, salwar kamiz, panjabi, shoes, cosmetics, jewellery, furniture and home decoration items to enjoy Eid, which is only one or two days away.
Roddur, a nine-year-old girl, was seen pushing her parents for buying a pair of shoes worth Tk 1,250 in Apex Gallery of Bailey Road.
At last she won and her mother told New Age, ‘The shoe is gorgeous as well as decent so price does not matter.’
Topa Haque, a university student, was seen bargaining with a footpath hawker of Gausia for an ear ring.
She said in every Eid she buys jewellery items to match her dresses.
Hawker Monu Miah was selling goods at fixed price in order to avoid unnecessary bargaining with customers.
Another hawker said shirts were the most selling items which are available at Tk 100 to Tk 1,000. He also said low income people are the main customers at footpath shops.
Despite cloudy weather and huge traffic jam in market areas, people rushed to shopping malls.
Raihana Siddiqua came from Tongi to Basundhara City Shopping Mall.
She said it took her three and a half hours to reach the mall but for exclusive sari she had no other option.
The newly married woman came with the family members.
A salesman at Rapa Plaza, Tareq told New Age that from the first day of Ramadan every year they had huge sales but this year they witnessed poor sale in the first week of Ramadan.
He said a huge rush of customers did not mean huge sales.
Some were seen visiting markets with families who not only enjoyed shopping but also took full advantage of snacks and restaurants to buy or have some dishes.
Shahid Mizan and Tuli Mizan, a banker couple, were seen to buy home electronics items from a Philips showroom.
Tuli told New Age, ‘This year, for Eid shopping we have allocated Tk 30,000 and with this money we are planning to buy microwave oven, rice cooker and toaster for our new home.’
Heavy rush was also seen at souvenir shops for buying Eid cards and henna.
Young boys and girls have already collected Eid cards of their choice to send to their friends and relatives.
Due to the huge rush of people at markets and shopping malls, parking was a big problem and long queue of vehicles.
Tailbacks were seen on important roads and avenues though the authorities say they were trying hard to tackle the situation.