Eid crowds swell Sylhet markets, yet sales disappoint

Shopping malls, roadside stalls and traditional markets across the Sylhet region are teeming with buyers ahead of Eid, but traders say sales have fallen short of expectations this season.

"We are seeing plenty of visitors, but not enough buyers," said Suman Mia, a cloth trader in the city, adding that sales are lower than expected compared to previous years when markets would be packed two weeks before Eid.

Many traders attribute the sluggish business to reduced remittance inflows linked to the US-Israel war on Iran.

A significant portion of the region’s economy depends on income from expatriates, but this year, traders say fewer migrant workers have returned home and those who have are spending cautiously.

Local residents echoed these concerns, citing the high cost of living.

Husna Begum, a resident of Chondipul, said her husband, working abroad, could not send enough money.

“I came to the market with a plan, but I had to cut my shopping short because everything is so expensive,” she said, adding that this year, as prices rise, income remains stagnant.

Sajjad Hossain, a trader at Paschim Bazar, said the local economy is heavily dependent on expatriates and remittance flow has dropped amid global tensions.

However, Bangladesh Bank data shows national remittance inflows rose 36 percent year on year in the first two weeks of March to $2.20 billion.

Middle- and lower-income families are now turning to sidewalk shops and budget markets. Sumi Begum and Rahim Mia both said that their families, usually dependent on relatives in the Middle East, are struggling to afford anything more than basic clothes for children.

Meanwhile, tailors are working around the clock to meet the overwhelming demand from customers.

To ensure safety, law enforcement has stepped up security. Superintendent of police Md Billal Hossain said additional personnel and mobile teams have been deployed in busy bazaar areas.