Resumption of normal transactions at city shopping malls to take some more days

Talha Bin Habib Normal business transactions at the city shopping malls will take some more days as most people have spent a lion's share of their income for shopping and other household purposes on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha, according to traders. They said that normal transactions at the markets might take a couple of weeks as people who went their village homes to celebrate Eid with their families are yet to return. "Most of the super markets in the city remained closed till Saturday since the beginning of Eid holidays. The markets will open tomorrow (Sunday), and it will take some more days to return back to normal business activities," Md Helal Uddin, president of Dhaka City Shops Owners Association told the FE Saturday. Some customers said that the closure of shopping malls for nearly one week during Eid holidays creates inconveniences to the people, especially outbound passengers, who urgently need to buy some essential commodities such as warm cloths. But traders have said they don't expect a big volume of trade just after Eid holidays as most of the customers had spent large portion of their income for Eid shopping. "The trade volume during the Eid is usually bigger than six months' normal trading," a trader at Ramna Bhaban told the FE. Shops owners, however, expected that their businesses will start in full swing from the next month as in December many social programmes, including wedding ceremonies take place pushing the sale high. "There will be no business transactions this week as most of the people have exhausted wallets after celebrating Eid," Md Helal added. He said that it would take some more days to witness the normal business activities at the shopping malls. He, however, said though the super markets were closed till Saturday since Eid holidays, all the kitchen markets and shops in different areas in the capital started business activities after Eid holidays. "The business activities in the super markets will be dull for at least next one week," Mr Helal, who is also the director of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) said.