Soaring prices diminish joy of Eid shopping
After the 20th day of the holy Ramadan, shopping malls of the city still cry for customers. According to the shop owners, the price hike in essentials influences the Eid budget of people mostly the middleclass families.
"Prices of everyday essentials have soared up to such a level that common people are bound to shorten the budget of clothing for Eid," said Akram Hossain, owner of Doyel Fabrics at Chadni Chak Shopping Complex.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. "On the other hand, prices of clothes imported from Mumbai are so expensive that most people cannot afford them. As a result the sales have reduced compared to last year," Akram added.
However, young ladies from all walks of life were seen crowded the shops at the same shopping complex as it is considered the most popular market for clothes and three-piece garment for women.
"I have come here because more variety of clothes are available here than other markets though the price is comparatively high," said Shila, a master's student coming from Taltola, Agargoan.
Shila came to the market for simple siphon three-piece clothes.
This Eid's latest attractions are 'Fana' three-piece, Makhon creep georgette and Makhon silk that sell at Tk 2,500-4,000, said Akram.
Sanaullah, a salesperson of Fancy Corner at the same market, claimed that embroidered three-piece garment on pure silk is the latest fashion that sells at Tk 14,000. He also said they have already sold five pieces of the clothe out of six pieces they had imported from India.
Shop owners and sales persons of Bashundhara City Shopping Mall said the sales of readymade garments of this Eid are quite good with some exceptions.
Most of the shops sell teenage girls' dresses, salwar-kamiz, boys' shirts and pants, kids' skirt- tops, sarees and panjabi for men all imported from India.
After a long time the teenagers find their suitable dresses in the market thanks to Indian actress Kajol, who wore long skirt-tops at a Hindi movie called 'Fana'.
Besides, Veer Jara and Raksha four-piece for teenagers are also selling good between Tk 2,500-5,000, said Tanvir, sales man of Kik Star readymade garment shop at Bashundhara City.
Siphon georgette with spring work dominates the sarees of Eid collection while Jamdani saree is all time favourite.
Rehana Khanom, an employee of a multinational company, said she would buy a white Jamdani saree because she has to attend official programmes where gorgeous georgette sarees do not suit.
Kashish, Kumkum and Salma spring sarees are the attraction of this year's Eid collection that sell at Tk 5,000-40,000, said Delwar Hossain, sales man of Rangila Saree of Bashundhara City.
Delwar also said "This year sale is quite half of the sale of last year."
The shop owners and sales persons of the same market said customers are choosing turquoise, magenta, black, and orange colours for this Eid.
The 'Fana' storm also touched the Eid collection of children's clothes. The kids' zone of different shopping centres is full of Fana and Nandini long skirt tops.
"The Fana, Nandini long skirts and baby short kamiz on tissue, tasar and silk for children aged three to 10 years are selling well that cost Tk 1,500-2,000," said Ishtiaque H Bablu, chief executive of Look and Like kids' shop at Bashundhara city.
While Indian products dominate women's wear, men's wear is dominated by in-house production.
Men's wear houses like Cats Eye, Monsoon Rain, Rex, and Yellow by Beximco have brought pure cotton, Egyptian cotton made shirts, T-shirts, Panjabi and trousers for this Eid.
Sajjad Ahmed Saju, a salesperson of Yellow, said export quality casual cotton shirts of six different colours are selling quite well.
Besides, Denim and Cargo trousers at Tk 1,400 also attracted the consumers, he added.
Khalid Mahmud Khan, proprietor of Kay Kraft, said people are increasingly tending towards in-house production.
"Fusion of different characters in a single material is comfortable and good looking and customers seem to value the new ideas of in-house products rather than luxurious products," he added.