Eid brings no cheers in northern dists

The greatest festival of Muslims will not bring cheers for people in the area, mainly dependent on agriculture. Most farmers and day labourers are still passing days amid hardship as harvest of Aman paddy is still 10-15 days away.

"Eid festival depends mainly on income from agriculture. Farmers and day labourers in rural areas can not think of Eid shopping this year because the Aman harvest is yet to begin", said Rangpur Shop Owners Association President Kazi Mohammed Zunnun while talking to this correspondent yesterday.

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The situation was not the same in previous years.

"From the beginning of Ramadan all commercial centres in 23 upzilas and three district headquarters in the region (Rangpur, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat districts) used to remain crowded with customers. But the scene is different this year", said Rangpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Mostafa Azad Chowdhury.

"Ours is an agriculture-based area. People here usually face hardship due to lack of work in agriculture sector during Bangla months of Ashwin and Kartik. But this year they faces hardship due to flood, storm and price hike of essentials.

Farmers and day labourers cannot buy food let alone new cloths, he said.

This correspondent also talked to some businessmen at different shopping centres in Rangpur town. All of them said sale is very dull ahead of the Eid-ul Fitre.

In Kurigram, owner of Pabna Cloth Store Badal Rahman said that they could hardly sell cloths worth Tk 10,000 a day during Ramadan this year. This is one third of sales during Ramadan in previous years, he said.

Only families of government and non-government jobholders are going to markets for Eid shopping, said Reazul Hoque Rintu owner of a readymade garments shop at Goshala Bazar in Lalmonirhat.

A few farmers who could harvest their early transplanted Aman paddy are going to markets for Eid shopping. But they are hesitant as prices are higher.

Farmer Abdur Rahman of Joydevhat village in Rajarhat upzila in Kurigram said he went to the market with the money from sale of Aman rice but could not buy cloths for all family members due to higher price.

Many cloth and garment traders also agreed that prices are higher this year because they have to pay more at wholesale markets in Dhaka.

Abu Sayed, owner of Noborupa Garments at Mostofa Super Market in Rangpur town said prices of readymade garments at wholesale markets in Dhaka are 20-30 percent higher this year. So retail prices are also higher.

Abul Kalam, owner of Monika Bostraloy Rangpur Super Market said they are ready to sell items at marginal profit but cannot do so due to lack of customers.

Many traders said they declared hefty discount but failed to attract customers.

Owners of some big saree stores said they declared 30 to 40 per cent discount after ten days into the Ramada. But sales are not picking up.

"Despite such big discount we are having a few customers," said Kamal Hossen, owner of AB Boot House.

A businessman at Motahar Commercial Complex mockingly

said the number of beggars in markets is greater than those of customers this year.

A large number of poor people have come to Rangpur from Kurigram for begging ahead the Eid.

They swarm in different markets to beg.