Shopping malls in the capital witnessed poor sales at the weekend on Friday ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, which is only a week away, causing immense frustration among the shop owners. While visiting different city shopping malls, our correspondent found that most of the salespersons were sitting idle and eagerly waiting for customers at their shops. “Eid shopping spree is yet to start. But we witnessed huge rush of shoppers at this time last year,” said MA Hannan Azad, president of Bashundhara City Shop Owners’ Association, also vice-president of Bangladesh Shop Owners Association. “It is frustrating that turnout of shoppers is lower even at the weekend, he said adding that though sales on Eid-ul-Azha festival is generally lower than that of Eid-ul-Fitr but this year it is much lower. On the occasion of the Eid festival, fashion outlets are displaying wide range of dresses of latest designs at their shops in different shopping centres in the capital. Many salespersons while talking to daily sun expressed their frustration at the low turnout of shoppers. “We are disappointed with the declining trend in Eid shopping,” a salesperson said. “But we still hope that Eid shopping will gain momentum in the remaining days ahead of Eid vacation,” he added. Makeshift roadside shops in the city were abuzz with customers, particularly low and fixed income group. Shah Alam Khandkar, organising secretary general of Bangladesh Shop Owners Association, said that Eid shopping has sharply declined compared to last year. “We have been witnessing declining trend in Eid shopping for the last few years,” he said adding that people don’t have enough money to buy new clothes for any festival. “I have heard people saying that after meeting their kitchen expenses and paying utility bills, they have no money left to buy new cloths for Eid,” he added. Many people alleged that they are unable to do Eid shopping due to high prices of different items. Sohana Akhter, an employee of a non-government organization, said he has to spend a lion portion of salary on buying kitchen items after paying utility bills and house rent. “In this situation, we just can not think of buying new cloths for Eid festival,” he added. Matiar Rahman, a bank employee, said, “I need to buy clothes and shoes but it is not possible to buy them the little money left after meeting the kitchen expenses.
