High prices drive Eid shoppers away in Dhaka

Baulking at the price of a three-piece outfit for his wife, Niloy Ahmed left Khadija Collection in Mirpur 11's Mohammadia Market empty-handed.

When he inquired about the price, the shopkeeper Nadim Mia responded: "Everything starts at three (Tk 3,000). There’s nothing below that."

Frustrated, Niloy and his wife walked off to look elsewhere, reports bdnews24.com.

Niloy, a private-sector employee who recently got married, said he was looking to buy his wife new clothes for Eid. But he could not find anything within his budget.

"Responsibilities have increased after marriage and it seems like clothing prices have too. Everything is just beyond my budget. I was hoping to find something under Tk 2,000, but have had no luck. I’ll check other places," he said.

A visit to several shopping centres in Mirpur on Friday revealed slightly larger crowds than usual weekdays. Still, many shopkeepers were idle.

While haggling was common, most sellers admitted that despite the crowd, sales were below par. Many shoppers, unable to find good deals, left empty-handed. Some managed to buy just a handful of items.

At Ridi Fashion in Mirpur 10's Hope Plaza, Halima Akter was bargaining for a dress for her daughter. When the shopkeeper quoted Tk 800, she walked away.

"This is supposed to be the cheapest market," Halima said.

"If it’s like this here, you can imagine other places. Prices are high everywhere and it’s hard to manage expenses. I haven’t bought anything for myself. Looks like my daughter won’t get anything either. Maybe I’ll check the footpaths."

Shopkeeper Raju Ahmed said they have lost more than half their customers in just a year.

"People don’t have enough money to spend. They come, look around, and leave. Our prices stay the same year-round. If prices went up for Eid, that would be understandable. But people simply can’t afford it."

Md Imran from Shanwara Fashion echoed the sentiment, saying half their customers had vanished.

"Sales aren’t like last Eid. The market is crowded, but people are buying just one item instead of two."

The children’s section in Mohammadia Market was busier than most areas, but even there, sales lagged.

Md Rashed, manager of Makkah Madina Traders, said: "Since it’s Friday, there’s a bit more of a crowd, but sales aren’t great. Some come to buy, many just come to look."

At Jannat Burqa House, children’s party frocks were on display. Manager Nadim Hossain said the usual Eid rush hadn't materialised, though he hoped things would pick up once the holidays began.

"Clothing prices have nearly doubled since last year. People who used to buy three outfits are now buying just one," Nadim said.

"A single child’s dress costs Tk 800. Neither the customers nor the shopkeepers are surviving. If people can’t buy, how can we sell?"

He continued: "People assume we’re making big profits, but they don’t understand the reality. No one has money. Middle-class families can’t beg, nor can they steal. Those who have some money are only buying things for their kids."

Mithu Bepari from Anamika Sarees shared similar concerns.

"Last Ramadan, we sold Tk 120,000-150,000 worth of sarees daily. This time, it’s barely Tk 50,000-60,000. People are scared to come out shopping. If there was a stable government, maybe people would have shopped. Things are terrible. Last year, you couldn’t move in the market because of the crowd. This year, it’s empty. That’s why I have time to talk to you."

At Nannu Market’s Fashion Fair, seller Ratul Aziz Khan said they had lost half their customers due to price hikes. "Before, people would buy a Punjabi and then something extra. Now, they just buy the Punjabi and leave. We can’t sell below cost, but customers expect last year’s prices. We’re just sitting here."

"We’re cutting prices as low as we can -- otherwise, we'll incur losses. Normally, this is our busiest time. Last year, we couldn’t catch our breath."

At Mamoni Fashion, which sells men’s shirts and trousers, sales assistant Md Munna said prices had gone up Tk 50-100 per piece, leading to a 20 per cent drop in sales.

"Families are growing, but salaries remain stagnant. Prices keep rising -- fabric, stitching, everything. Naturally, customers are struggling."

At Israat in Mirpur 10, which sells men’s shirts, trousers, T-shirts, and Punjabi, discounts ranging from 20 per cent to 50 per cent were on offer to attract buyers.

Although foot traffic increased slightly, sales were still disappointing, said seller Md Ibrahim.

"The usual Eid shopping rush just isn’t here yet. People are financially stressed. Prices are high, so we’re offering discounts. Maybe things will pick up in the next few days. Usually, by now, the market would be packed."