The biggest religious event of the Muslim community is the holy Eid-ul-Fitr. As the day of Eid is approaching, the buying and selling is accumulating. From the footpaths to the shopping malls, people are seen busy shopping in those markets of Upazila. Markets and bazaars of Pabna’s Bara Upazila are gathering people even in the midst of intense heat.
People of different ages are coming from remote areas every day to shops in the area. The most crowded places are the market stalls. Customers are shopping from eight in the morning to midnight. There are many types of clothes in the market, but cotton and country clothes are more inclined. On Sunday, visiting different shops in the upazila, it was seen that people of different ages are running to the market stalls with their family members to buy new clothes for Eid. Due to the increase in the price of goods, they are buying according to their income. Also, to attract the customers, every store and shopping mall has kept a variety of new designs of clothes.
Along with these clothes, boys and girls have a demand for new shoes and sandals. Along with clothing, many youngsters are buying various types of jewelry and cosmetics including belts, wallets, vanity bags, glasses. Also, the busyness of the new dress makers (tailors) has increased. The Upazila Prosecution has taken measures to ensure that the sellers cannot cheat the buyers by charging higher prices. The mobile court is being run on a daily basis under the leadership of Executive Magistrate. Azim Uddin Sardar and Ashrafuzzaman Palash who came to buy clothes said that they came to buy native cotton clothes because of the extreme heat. But compared to last year, the price of clothes is much higher this year. We will check different shops and buy clothes. Manik Hossainjanan, owner of Manik Vastra Bitan in Bara Bazar, says that due to the intense sun and drought, this year, buyers are turning to cotton and loose clothing. We also have to buy at a higher price because the product is priced higher at storehouse due to the design. As a result, the price of clothing is a little higher this year.
Golam Sarwar, the owner of Roni Garments, a clothing seller in Bara Afanuddin Market, said that like all the products in the country, the price of all types of clothing, from small to large, is much higher this year. As the price is high, the sales volume is comparatively less.