Business has been stagnant during Eid for the last two years due to the global pandemic. Due to this reason, the traders were in a great recession economically. However, the people of Mirzaganj in Patuakhali are preparing to celebrate the holy Eid-ul-Fitr, by overcoming the stagnation as the situation of Covid-19 is now under control.
Meanwhile, with time, the wholesale and retail outlets of garments are becoming more and more popular. Traders are struggling to cope with the buyers. However, after a long time, the business is good and there is a smile on the faces of the traders.
Eid markets and big shopping malls are crowded with people. Malls and wholesale shops are selling local and foreign clothing. They are adorned with layers of different brands and local and foreign clothes. In addition to the variety of fashion, aesthetic changes have also taken place in the decoration of the shop keeping in view the customer satisfaction.
Again, some ship-owners have arranged gifts and special discounts to attract buyers. Some people have also put up new signboards to attract attention from afar. In a word, the touch of preparation is everywhere inside and outside.
Crowds of shoppers have been observed in all the shops inside the market including Nannu Shopping Complex in Upazila Sadar Subidkhali Bazar. The hawkers have arranged various designs of clothes in the sidewalk shops as well as in the famous and expensive shopping malls. Eid bazaar has a collection of children's colourful designs including sari, three piece, selwar kameez, fatwa, skirt-tops, boys long and short Punjabi, fatwa, shirt, jig and t-shirt.
Talking to Tanu Akhter, a customer of Nannu Shopping Complex, he said that Eid is a few days away. Moreover, in the end, there is a problem with getting the size and color of choice. So people came to shop with little time on hand. The dresses here are also quite good and tasteful.
Md Alam Hossain, proprietor of Utsav Garments, said that the traders have gone through a kind of crisis in the last two years. After two years of stagnation, the business is back to normal. This time Eid shopping has started from the beginning of Ramadan. As the days increase till Eid, the sales will also increase. This time there is hope to benefit from the loss of the last two years.
From the big markets to the sidewalks, shopping is on in full swing. However, with Eid looming, the suffering of low-income people is increasing. Rickshaw driver Md Kalam Hawladar has been running his family in Subidkhali for a long time.
When asked about his plans for Eid and whether he had bought Eid clothes for the children, he said, "Brother, what a pity. There are 6 people in my family. During the last two years, more time was spend with the family. Now, of course, it is not like that, but the earnings are not the same as before.”
During Ramadan, the day goes by with great difficulty because people go out less during the day.
“I buy rice and pulses with whatever I earned. There are more family members so now I don't have the courage to think about shopping. If you buy something, you will have to buy for everyone, which is not possible for low-income people like us,” he said.