Traders wait for customers to return to makeshift shops at burnt-down Bangabazar

It has been three days since the traders of Bangabazar in Dhaka are trying to turn around by selling clothes at makeshift shops in the place of the burnt-down marketplace.

They have brought some products and kept those on five feet long and three feet wide stools under large umbrellas, but customers appear to have shunned the place amid scorching heat, although Eid-ul-Fitr is just about 10 days away.

“There’s no customer. But we must wait under the sun. What else can we do?” said trader Abul Kashem.

The traders of Bangabazar usually sold wholesale to retailers from different parts of Bangladesh. Now the wholesalers have occupied the land in the hope of getting a permanent place when the market is rebuilt.

Some Eid shoppers roamed around the shops, but none bought anything during the reporter’s visit on Friday.

“Usually trading slows here after the 20th of Ramadan every year as the customers buy from the retailers. Now we don’t have enough products for wholesale trading. Still, we’re here,” said Kashem.

The devastating blaze on Apr 4 destroyed 3,845 shops in the market, causing damage worth Tk 3.03 billion, according to a committee formed by the Dhaka South City Corporation, which owns the place.

The traders, employees and their families are now staring at a gloomy Eid and bleak future as they lost their collections bought for sale on the occasion.

The city corporation allowed around 700 traders to sell products before the Eid by removing the debris from one of the four units of the market.

The smell of burnt shops and clothes, however, is still in the air of the area.

Mokibul Hossain Bablu, one of the traders and a central ladder of the Tanti League, had two shops in the market. “Those who are able to collect some products are allowed to start selling those. But the employees, eight to 10 per shop, will lose their job.”

“And is it possible to sell here amid this much heat? You tell me! We don’t have anything for wholesale trading now. How will the shoppers come to us amid this heat? We sold products worth Tk 200,000-400,000 a day before Eid.”

“We contacted the retailers who usually bought from us, but they declined to come. Their business hasn’t stopped for us. They bought products from somewhere else,” said the trader of girls’ pants.

Mahmudul Hasan came to the place for the first time in his life while celebrating Pahela Baishakh to buy a dress for his wife on Eid. “I haven’t bought anything because the prices appeared very high.”

Trader Abdus Salam said he brought the goods he could save from his shop. The products in his warehouse were burnt in the fire.

“I’ve sold products worth around Tk 3,000 only as there are no customers. Last year, I sold goods of at least Tk 100,000 a day.”

Another trader, who identified himself as only Tanjir, said in the afternoon he was yet to open the day’s trading. On a normal day before Eid, he usually sold Tk 150,000-200,000 of goods.

Some of the retailers who used to buy from him contacted him, but they did not purchase Eid products from him due to the situation.

“I couldn’t save anything from the shop. If they ask for 100 dresses of the same design, I won’t be able to provide those.”