Businesses that are related to marriage ceremonies in the country have been facing serious blow during the peak season of the year due to the ongoing political unrest.
Their clients are frequently cancelling previous bookings or postponing marriage dates fearing risks in holding programmes outside.
The businesses related to marriages include beauty parlors, community centres, saree and merchandise shops, and jewellery shops. These are experiencing low or no sale as customers' movement has shrunk recently, especially after evening, the peak hour for the parties.
Talking to the FE, former general secretary of Bangladesh Jewellers' Association Dewan Aminul Islam said jewellery business in this peak season of wedding has been hampered seriously as the clients are either cancelling or postponing the marriage dates even for two or three months.
"Although jewellers are trying to open their shops, it becomes risky for the roadside shops. Besides, customers hardly come out of their homes except for meeting basic needs," said Mr Islam, adding their sales have dropped below 50 per cent now-a-days.
A random visit to the city's various beauty parlors and saree shops, this reporter found these becoming empty before the evening whereas the clients of wedding parties mainly flock to the parlors since afternoon till night.
Noted beautician and owner of the country's one of the biggest beauty parlors Persona Kaniz Almas Khan said parlor business depends on various wedding and other parties.
But now people are either cancelling or somehow doing the programmes inside their homes. The bookings for bridal makeup which were made three or six months ago, are also being cancelled, she added.
She said more than 60 per cent bookings are cancelled and the business has dropped by 50 per cent recently as various social and other events are being cancelled.
"There are two business seasons for parlors: one in June-July period and another in November-January period. Our business planning depends to a great extent on these two seasons," Ms Almas added.
She said parlor business is particularly hit during political unrest as it totally depends on girls and women who hardly come out of their homes due to security risk. Now very few brides take makeup whereas usually they are accompanied by other girls during any wedding programme.
About 3,000 ladies work in 13 branches of Persona in Dhaka and Chittagong.
"I remain in tension thinking about the payment I have to make every month to these women working in my organisation no matter whether I do business or not. Sometimes I have to borrow money for paying the salaries to my staffs," she added.
Director of Woman's World, another famous parlor of the country Tahmina Alam said they now have works for wedding parties only on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. There is hardly any girl or woman visiting their parlors in the evening as their movement has declined due to security concern.
"We have about 300 female employees in six branches and head office. The customers hardly come in the evening and sometimes we have to allow our female staffs to leave parlors considering their security," she added.
While talking to the FE, Mr Sohel, a cook at Rupali Community Centre in the city's Mirpur area said the pressure for wedding and other parties continues in December-March period.
He said the community centre remains booked seven days a week during winter as there are various wedding, picnic and other parties. But now they have work load only on the weekends. The day labourers who work on daily wage basis in the community centres have been passing hard days as they do not have any work, he added.
During a random visit to the Banarasi Palli of Mirpur, this reporter found the number of customers thin. Sales persons were passing a rather relaxed time while the owners were found in a gloomy mood.
Manager of Tanha Benarasi Corner Jan-e- Alam said they are supposed to sell sarees worth at least Tk 0.1 million a day during the wedding season. Now they can sell sarees worth Tk 10,000-15,000 a day or sometimes they have zero sale. Earlier, per day sale during the wedding season was Tk 50,000.
"How can we sell in this political situation when women and girls cannot come out. This kind of political programmes is damaging for businesses. They should find out alternative political programmes," he urged.
Proprietor of Sheetal Saree Centre in the same market Abdullah Zobair said their sale has dropped below 50 per cent as there is no customer. Earlier they could sell at least 10 wedding sarees which now have come down to five, he added.
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Wedding schedules hit snags due to political turmoil
Kamrun Nahar | Published: January 14, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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