Rangpur’s bustling retail sector has experienced an unprecedented surge in consumer activity, marking record-breaking sales at local Eid markets following a two-year hiatus driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite climbing price points across apparel and festive goods, urban, suburban, and rural shoppers have turned out in droves ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, injecting vibrant energy into the regional economy.
Commercial hubs across the city have assumed a distinctly festive character, drawing massive crowds of men, women, youths, and families eager to complete their festive shopping. The sheer volume of pedestrian and vehicular traffic has generated considerable congestion throughout key thoroughfares, prompting the Rangpur Metropolitan Police to step up security measures and deploy specialised traffic management systems to ensure public safety and smooth movement. Security personnel, alongside elements from the Rapid Action Battalion and intelligence wings, are maintaining a visible presence in both uniform and plain clothes across major shopping districts, complemented by private security arrangements put in place by individual business complexes.
While shoppers note that the cost of garments and seasonal items has risen noticeably compared to previous years—with estimates pointing to increases of thirty to forty per cent—retailers report that high price tags have done little to dampen consumer enthusiasm. Major commercial centres such as the Rangpur Super Market, RMAC Shopping Complex, Jahaz Company Shopping Complex, City Plaza, Moti Plaza, and Zila Parishad Biponi Bitan have been packed to capacity as families finalise purchases ranging from clothing and footwear to cosmetics and children’s wear.
Current market rates reflect the strong demand, with women’s three-piece outfits retailing anywhere from one thousand five hundred to eighteen thousand taka, while sarees command prices stretching from one thousand up to forty-five thousand taka. Traditional panjabis for men range between one thousand two hundred and ten thousand taka, with trousers, jeans, and shirts spanning various price brackets to accommodate diverse budgets.
Local shoppers have expressed a mixture of resignation over inflated prices and satisfaction at finally celebrating the festival without restrictions. University students Kaniz Fatema and Ferdousi Khatun noted that while expenses are steeper than in prior years, completing their shopping preparations remains a vital part of the festive tradition. Similarly, local residents and families emphasised that despite the financial pinch, children’s clothes and festive essentials were secured to maintain the joy of the holiday.
Business leaders have welcomed the commercial boom with open enthusiasm. Rezaul Islam Milon, President of the Rangpur Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, highlighted the consistently robust daily trade witnessed across malls and retail outlets. Meanwhile, Mostafa Sohrab Chowdhury Titu, President of the Rangpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry, attributed the record-breaking turnover to the steady improvement in the economic conditions of ordinary citizens over the past decade and a half, anticipating that sales momentum will remain strong right up until the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr.
