MEHERPUR, Mar 11: The traditional scene on the streets of the Meherpur town and the Gangni Upazila town has changed. The shopping malls in the Boro Bazar, Mallik Para and Hotel Bazar intersections of Meherpur Municipal town have been overflowing with people since morning.
Even on the weekly holiday, sellers are struggling to keep their shops open. However, while there is a festive atmosphere in cloth shops, the picture is different in tailoring shops, where notices reading 'no new orders' are seen.
Agarwala Bastralaya, a traditional and century-old cloth shop in Meherpur located in the Bora Bazar area, is usually closed on Fridays. But today, to cope with the huge pressure of Eid shopping, the shop had to be kept open, breaking their routine. There is no room to stand inside the shop; customers are searching for their favourite clothes among the piled-up garments.
Mohan Kumar Chowdhury, owner of Bastralaya, told The Daily Observer, "We usually keep the shop closed on other Fridays, but this time, due to the surge in Eid shopping, we had to keep the shop open today for the convenience of customers."
This time, the demand for Pakistani salwar-kameez is the highest in the market. However, the demand for salwar-kameez made of silk, cotton, organdy and tissue fabrics is also significant.
Lawn and sharara are at the top of women's choices this Eid in Meherpur, with a combination of elegance and comfort. Pakistani and Indian lawn sets with exotic designs on cotton and voile fabrics top the list.
Anarkali suits in pastel shades like light blue, pink or mint green are attracting the interest of fashion-conscious young women.
Young women are also showing great interest in sharara and garara sets designed in a blend of elegance and tradition.
Additional police have been deployed at important intersections in Meherpur town to manage the crowd, especially in the Boro Bazar and Hotel Bazar areas.
The traffic police are struggling to control the long queues of rickshaws, easy bikes and motorcycles. The Meherpur District Shop Owners' Association has informed that they are vigilant to ensure the safety of customers and that shops will be kept open till late at night every day until Eid.
This ancient town, full of memories of 1971, is now just waiting for the festival. The uncertainty with tailors and the crowd in the market - altogether, Meherpur's Eid economy is now at its peak.
