With barely a week for the holy Eid-u-Azha, shopping is getting momentum in the city markets ranging from footpath vending to luxurious shopping malls.

When the coronavirus pandemic severely puts the shop owners and as well as their employees in utter financial distress, the presence of shoppers now in large numbers in the markets compared to the previous time is igniting hopes among the traders.   

In the last Eid-ul-fitr, most of the people did not go for shopping due to closure of shopping malls amid the Covid-19 outbreak.

Now, people have started overcoming the fear of coronavirus gradually, maintaining hygiene rules in houses, offices and even in shopping malls.

Visiting different shopping malls and footpath markets including New-market, New Super Market, Chandni Chowk, Gauchia, Science Laboratory and Elephant Road in the capital on Friday afternoon, this correspondent found the presence of shoppers in large numbers.

Many people from different parts of the city came to the markets with their families to buy necessary things ahead of the holy Eid-ul-Adha.

Besides, different shopping malls in capital’s Uttara, Mouchak, Santinagar, and Old Dhaka areas also witnessed more shoppers compared to the previous time, sources said.

The businessmen and sellers were also happy for presence of huge number of buyers in the markets with smiles flashing on their faces after a long time.  

Talking to several shopkeepers, it was known that the market has been open since June 1, but since the beginning of this month, the presence of buyers started increasing.

“Most of those who came to the markets today were buying diverse products. Therefore, our trading is going more or less well,” said Monirul Islam, a trader of capital’s New-market.

Although there were fever measuring devices and disinfectant tunnels at the entrances of big markets and shopping malls, these health-related devices were totally absent on the sidewalks and footpath markets.

While most buyers and sellers were seen wearing face masks, they were away from maintaining social distancing.  However, some people were seen to follow the hygiene rules.

AKM Rahman, a private job holder, came to New Market with his wife and children for shopping.

“We did not do shopping for any family members in the last Eid. So, we have come to the market to shop for all of our members,” he said.

“I’m not sure whether I would be able to complete Eid shopping today as I only completed buying products for my two children,” he added.   

Sabbir Islam, owner of a shoe shop in the Elephant Road area, said there were more shoppers on Friday compared to other days.

“Selling doesn’t matter. I am happy as people are coming out of their houses braving fear,” he said.

Abdul Latif, an official of a private bank and his wife Shamsunnahar, came to buy books in Nilkhet.

They bought the necessary books and hired a rickshaw to return home. Before getting on the rickshaw, they take out the sanitizer from the bag and spray it on the rickshaw seat.

Latif said, “I am scared to see so many people on the roads. It cannot be ascertained who will be infected with virus and where and by whom. To avoid the risk of coronavirus, I clean any ride with a sanitizer before getting on it.”

Footpath markets were seen witnessing more sale compared to shopping malls.

“Sale is better today. However, we have to pay toll regularly even during this coronavirus period. Otherwise, we are not allowed to sit on the footpath,” a hawker said.

Passengers on various public transports, especially buses, are relatively few as most of the passengers favour to travel in rickshaws and auto-rickshaws.