City holiday markets abuzz with low-income shoppers

People of low-income group thronged the city's holiday markets on Saturday to buy clothes and other necessary items to celebrate the Eid-ul-Fitr festival.
These limited-income customers feel comfortable to shop in these markets due to cheap rate of products. All kinds of items, including clothes, jewellery, footwear, home decors, and cosmetics etc, are available at shops of these markets.
The city corporations have allowed hawkers to do business in some areas, only for weekends in the month of Ramadan.
One of such popular markets is the footpaths in front of Motijheel Ideal School and its adjacent areas, where minimum 1,000 traders sell their goods on Friday and Saturday.
Talking to the FE, Nazma Begum, a domestic help who came to the market from Mugda area, said her budget is Tk 2,000 for her two children and mother.
"I have already bought a long gown at Tk 500 for my teenage daughter. Now I will buy a panjabi for my son and a cotton saree for my mother."
The amount is enough for shopping in this area, as the prices of items are reasonable here, Ms Nazma also said.
"As I have no ability to go to shopping malls, it is a good option for me to shop in this area," she added.
Traders in the market were seen selling salwar-kamiz at Tk 500 to Tk 1,000 each, while single kamiz at Tk 250 to Tk 500 each. Male customers were also getting panjabi or shirt within Tk 500 each.
The FE also talked with Hemayet Khan, a vendor who has been doing business on footpaths in Dhaka for the last 20 years.
He said recently he cannot earn much, as the authorities concerned have restricted hawkers from doing business on footpaths. Like him, many vendors have become jobless because of the move.
He thanked the government for providing a chance to sit on the footpath for business, and was happy with his sales.
But after Ramadan, struggle of the street traders will start again, he observed.
Md Sikder, another trader who hailed from Brahmanbaria, said he is struggling hard to survive with his three college- and school-going children.
"My family expenses are Tk 30,000 per month, but income is Tk 20,000," he said, adding that authorities should do something for them.
Aminul Islam, a 13-year-old boy, was seen selling shoes for women at a fixed price of Tk 100 each pair.
"I am happy with my sales, as customers prefer these cheap shoes," he added.
However, the traders expressed their dismay over extortion by a section of politically influential people, saying that they are forced to provide Tk 100 to Tk 300 each to do business in the area.
Although the authorities have allowed running their shops without any charge, a section of people are realising money from them.
"If we do not give them the money, they will evacuate us from this place. So, we have no other alternative but to give money to these people," said one trader.
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