With around one weeks left for the Eid-ul-Fitr, one of the biggest religious festivals of the Muslims, Rajshahi city has been caught by Eid shopping fever with modern and traditional shopping malls bustling with shoppers from all strata.
Thousands of people are purchasing items of their own choice with huge enthusiasm despite the significant rise in prices of all kinds of clothes compared to last year.
With the eye-catching colour and design of the silk wears, a large number of people irrespective of age and sex especially the adolescents, are humming towards the showrooms to collect their best choice.
According to the sources concerned, silk wears valued at around Taka 40-45 crore are likely to be sold during the current Eid season.
Silk fabrics, woven and designed by local artisans, are in huge demand in the Eid markets of the city, with the affluent people rushing to the city silk showrooms every day.
Movement of the shoppers has created huge traffic congestion in the major shopping areas. Shop owners told BSS that sales were showing an upward trend since the last couple of days.
Salesmen of different markets, footpaths, makeshift sales centers are busy from morning to midnight as shoppers of all ages gather there.
"I'm purchasing ladies and gents wear, cosmetics and some food items this time to avoid the last moment's unusual public rush and chaotic traffic jam," said Dulary Begum, a resident of Ghoramara, while talking to BSS at Shaheb Bazar on Sunday.
Market sources said the overall sale was much higher this year because of further improvement in the economic condition of people from all classes.
Deployment of law enforcers at different points and market places and engagement of private security men at shopping malls by the authorities concerned have ultimately created a fool-proof security arrangement for businessmen as well as shoppers.
Rajshahi Metropolitan Traffic Police sources said movement of thousands of battery-run auto-rickshaws has deteriorated the traffic situation here though the situation is so far better.
The RMP traffic department also blocked most of the intersections in front of all markets and shopping malls to ensure uninterrupted movement of vehicles.
Anirban Chakma, Deputy Commissioner (Traffic) in RMP, said they have set up police boxes beside the gates of all busy markets and our police officials are sincerely making people aware about the traffic system all the time.
Sekendar Ali, general secretary of RDA Market Businessmen Association, said he had not faced any untoward situation from the first day of Ramadan.
Saidul Islam, owner of Laboni Saree Ghar at Rajshahi New Market, said the volume of sales is much higher this year. The products particularly Salwar-Kameez for girls, shoes, sarees with embroidery and stone work, punjabi, and shirts produced by local fashion houses were attracting the customers. The shopping places become jam-packed to wear festive looks daily from noon.
Market sources said prices of the clothes for male, female and children were more reasonable than the previous years. The Eid shoppers have been rushing mostly to RDA Market, New Market, Sonadighi Silk Market and other markets and shopping malls in the city.