Posh shopping malls abuzz with Eid shoppers

AKM Moinuddin, UNB Staff Writer

Dhaka, Aug 14 (UNB) -- Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival of the Muslims, is still 17 days away, but shoppers have already started crowding the city’s different posh shopping malls.
The city shopping malls draw a huge crowd before and after iftar and most of the shoppers belong to the upper class who prefer using credit cards for shopping.
In areas like Gulshan, Uttara and Dhanmondi, shoppers are least bothered about prices as they look for quality and design of the products.
Bashundhara City shopping complex at Panthapath, Navana Bailey Star at Siddieswari, Karnaphuli Garden City, Rafa Plaza at Dhanmondi are abuzz with pre- and post-Iftar shoppers.
Deshi Dosh has become a popular destination among the shoppers as it offers many things under the same roof at Bashundhara City shopping complex.
“It attracts me much. I understand from the name that it’s a combined effort of 10 local companies to promote the local culture in clothes and fashion,” Munni who came along with her father for shopping told this correspondent.
This Deshi Dosh is comprised of Deshal, Nipun, Anjan’s, Probortana, Bibiana, Sadakalo, Nagardola, Rang, Banglar Mela and Kay Craft.
“Yes, the turnout is satisfactory so far. We’re doing a better business this week compared to the first week of Ramadan. We hope the sale will increase next week,” a sales executive of Sadakalo said.
However, a sales executive at Kay Craft’s first outlet beside Mouchak Market said their business has not picked up yet. “Here we do not get poor response as this outlet is a bit isolated.”
He said the shoppers are rushing towards Bashundhara City shopping complex as they get so many things under the same roof.
“I feel better here. I used to buy from Arong….price is too high, though I find good quality products here,” Nipa Nushrat said while shopping at Deshi Dosh.
Sales Executive Rupom at Sadakalo outlet said: “We’ve fixed the prices of all products. Customers don’t need to bother about prices.”
He said shoppers usually look for the quality of product. “They want something unique and classy…if it is of their choice, they’ll go for it, no matter what the price is.”
Fashion clothing stores such as WESTEC, Cats Eye, Monsoon Rain, Best Eye and other brand outlets are well-decorated with western attires. They are also highlighting traditional Eid clothing with their collection of Panjabis at their stores.
Shop owners at Navana Bailey Star at Bailey Road are also doing a brisk business. Mostly women rush in this shopping mall which has some brand outlets in the city.
“We’ve good collections and we don’t compromise with quality. The first week of Ramadan relatively went dull, but the second week is good. We hope the sales volume will gradually increase since Eid is approaching,” Monir Hossain, Sales Executive of Best Eye said.
He said they have similar quality products like of Cats Eye. “But Cats Eye is doing a better business since they’ve goodwill.”
Talking to this correspondent, Farzana Laboni Moon, a shopper at Arong, Moghbazar said they are actually buying brands. “We’re not lworried about price. I’ll have to buy,” she said.
Karnaphuli Garden City, Mouchak Market and Anarkoli Super Market were also seen crowded with shoppers. Mainly middle class and low-income people prefer to go there.
Alongside the shopping malls, makeshift shops on the city’s footpaths were also seen drawing shoppers.
During Ramadan, small traders and hawkers occupy footpaths, blocking the movement of pedestrians and causing traffic congestions.
Like the previous years, thousands of hawkers have started selling different types of relatively cheaper clothes -- shirts, pants, sarees, lungis, punjabis, salwar kameezes, jewellery, cosmetics and footwear. Low-income group crowd these street shops.
“I know it creates problem to pedestrians. But I have to survive,” said Rashed who was selling clothes occupying footpath at Malibagh near Mouchak Market in the city.
He said sometimes they have to bribe police and some local guys to keep their business undisturbed.
The same sort of crowd was also seen in the city’s Firm Gate and New Market areas where the number of street hawkers has increased significantly.
END/UNB/AKM/