Markets overcrowded: Sale not up to mark

Gulam Rabbani :
Shopping malls were resumed after the government relaxed restrictions from May 6. But the sale position was not satisfactory.
After resumption of bus service, the buyers swarm to the shopping malls and howker-markets on Friday.
Salesmen of the New Market, Nilkhet and Gausia Market said that buyers got increased in the markets after the resumption of the movement of the public transports on May 6 this month. But the sale has not increased with the ratio of the people walking around the markets, they added.
During a visit it was seen that the entrances of the New Market were overflowing with the people. Buyers were entering the market pushing each other. Most people had face masks, but there was no sign of maintaining physical distance.
Sumon Das, a salesman of a bookstall at Nilkhet Market, said, “Some customers came yesterday (Thursday). But no one came today (Friday). Basically our sales decrease during the month of Ramzan.”
It was seen in the New Market that many were wandering around the market unnecessarily and some people were sitting and chatting. Some people were seen walking aimlessly without masks.
Jalil Bhuiyan, a cloth merchant of the New Market, said, “The public transports were needed to be introduced earlier. Most of our customers come to the market only to observe the situation and then they buy products from the Eid market. Customers started to come to the market from yesterday (Thursday), but sales have not been increased yet.” People who came to the market claimed that they had come to buy the necessary items and they were taking more times to buy their chosen products.
Habibur Rahman, a buyer who came from Mirpur area of the city, said that he came to the market to buy his children’s dresses. He could not come before to the market as the public transports were stopped due to the restrictions.
He wished to complete his shopping within a short time as a huge rushes of people’s took place in the market. “I would not have come if I had known so many crowds in the market,” he said.
Kishore, a salesman of a shoe shop in the Elephant Road, said, “We will not be able to pay the rent of our shop with the amount of the goods being sold.”
Sources said the wholesale shop owners of Islampur in the capital also could not fulfill their target. Some businessmen of Islampur said they hoped the sales would be better as the Eid festive is ahead, but they are disappointed.