Last-minute Eid market lifeless this year
Eid sales are poor as many people did not get paid due to the coronavirus outbreak
Eid-ul-Fitr will be observed either on Sunday or Monday, depending on sightings of the moon. During this time every year, people usually become busy buying vermicelli, sugar, raisins, and atop and polao rice after they are done shopping at malls.
However, due to the novel coronavirus outbreak in the country, the situation is different this year. People are buying less as they suffer from various problems including job loss, less or no salary and bonus, etc., caused by Covid-19.
Samina Akhter, who works in a brokerage house, was returning home after buying two packets of vermicelli, one packet of raisin, one kilogram of fragrant rice, one kilogram of sugar, and two litres of milk.
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For Eid day, she intends to buy two kilograms of beef, two broiler chicken, and two kilograms of atop rice powder.
"Usually, I buy six to eight packets of vermicelli ahead of Eid, but I have bought less this year as no guests will come. I have bought vermicelli just for my children," she said.
"As the stock market is going through difficulties, I have not received my salary for the last two months. My husband, who works in a private company, got a portion of his salary for April, but no bonus. So, we are not in a position to buy a lot," she added.
Regarding sales during Eid, Swapno salesperson Jayedul Islam said it is less than last year.
"Only affluent people are buying stuff, while middle-income and poor people cannot buy anything."
Sweet products manufacturer Bonoful, Madhuban, Alauddin Sweets, Fulkoli, Vikrampur Mistanno Vandar, etc. have experienced poor sales compared to previous years, their sales representatives said.
Though the sale of necessary Eid products is not up to the mark, those are being sold at a higher price in various markets of the capital.
In Karwan Bazar, the price of unpackaged vermicelli increased by Tk30-35 per kilogram.
On the other hand, the price of milk hiked by Tk5, whereas powder milk prices increased by Tk30-40 per kilogram.
Because of the high price, people are buying less meat. Meat sellers said a customer is not buying more than two to three kilograms of meat.
Abul Barek, a meat seller from the capital's Kathalbagan market, said a kilogram of beef was sold at Tk650 and mutton at Tk900. Middle-class people usually buy four to five kilograms of meat, but now they are buying one or two kilograms, he added.
