The New Nation - Internet Edition

Talha Bin Habib

As Eid-ul- Fitr, the biggest festival of Muslims is only couple of days away, the Eid shopping is picking up with shoppers crowding at the city markets for buying dresses, shoes, cosmetics and ornaments of their choice.

The shopkeepers are wooing customers by displaying different categories of men's, women's and children wear. The buyers and sellers have blamed price hike for putting a dent to some extent on their Eid festivity.

Punjabi is on top of the demands for male while the sari for female customers as usual for celebration of the Eid-ul-Fitr.

"This year the prices of dresses are higher compared to the previous year, " said a housewife at New Market. She said that the sari, which cost Tk 500 to Tk 700 last year, is now selling between Tk 1000 and 14000.

Traders at the different markets admitted the price hike of some particular sari and three pieces due to the increase in import tax and devaluation of taka.

They said the prices of local varieties of sari have also slightly increased this year.

Many traders at different markets said they have imported different types of clothes to meet the growing demand of the customers. But the prices of different wear including sari and three pieces for women and young girl are very high.

Shopkeepers at Eastern Plaza said the sari with the handiwork, chiffon, multi handi work (Italian craft), green silk, catbarry silk, pashmina are popular with the richer section of people.

The long cut women's wear with rainbow shades are also there in the shopkeeper's selection. Salwar Kameej named after Indian films has become the craze among the girls.

The shops at Mouchak, Polwell, Gazi Bhaban, Gauchai , New Market, Elephant Road , Karnafuli Garden City and Concord Twin Tower markets are also selling both local and imported women's and girl's wears.

Muslim Aid Shop, a London based social welfare organisation, is selling different types of Sari, three pieces, fatwa, block boutique at competitive prices at Rangs Anam Plaza in the city for economic benefit of the poor women, who produced these items.

On the other hand some boutique houses and posh outlets like Mantra, Grameen Check, Banglar Mela are also selling sari, fatwa and three pieces.

Boutique houses are selling different qualities of three pieces ranging from Tk 500 and Tk 10,000 and fatwa (women) are being sold between Tk 150 to Tk 1500.

Different types of imported and locally produced sari were selling at prices ranging from Tk Tk 2500 and 80,000 at Bashundhara City Shopping Complex

The multi- designed three pieces for the young girls have drawn a favourable response from the customers.

The customers can pick various designs of the three- pieces collected at a cost between Tk 2500 and Tk 12,000.

The children wears such as gypsy, jeans pant, anarkali, three quarter pant, baba set, block tea shirt and frog are selling between Tk 150 and Tk 800 at different markets in the city.

Pir Yameni market, at Zero Point, a popular shopping centre for Punjabi and Pajama for men , is saw abuzz with hundreds of customers. The prices of Punjabis varying from Tk 550 to Tk 1500.

" Fatuas, for men, is also on the top of the sales chart this year," Md Kashru, a trader of the market.