As the date draws near, Durga Puja shopping has gained momentum in Sylhet. Driven by the festive spirit, shopping malls and clothing stores across the city are seeing an increasing influx of customers.
Shoppers are busy visiting various stores from morning till night to pick out their favorite outfits, with the shopping activity particularly bustling from the afternoon through the evening.
Sharadiya Durga Puja, the main religious festival of the Hindu community, begins this coming Friday with *Shasthi Puja*.
As the festival approaches, the shopping frenzy intensifies.
A visit on Tuesday to areas such as Zindabazar, Bandar Bazar, Nayasarak, Kumarpara, Jail Road, Barutkhana, Lamabazar, and Mahajanpatti revealed shoppers busily making purchases at various malls.
Alongside men’s panjabis, shirts, and trousers, and women’s sarees and three-piece suits, children’s clothing is also selling briskly. To attract customers, many shops are offering discounts ranging from 20 to 40 percent.
Traders report that women’s *three-piece suits and sarees are selling for prices ranging from Tk 1,000 to Tk 15,000, with some premium sarees priced between Tk 20,000 and Tk 30,000. Men’s panjabis are available for Tk 1,000 to Tk 8,000. There is also significant demand for footwear, jewelry, cosmetics, and fabrics.
Speaking about the Puja shopping, Mousumi Chakraborty from the Taltala area of Sylhet city said, “There is a unique joy in wearing new clothes for Puja. I try to buy outfits that match my personal taste every year.”
“For my children, I am prioritizing the purchase of shirts, trousers, and *kameezes*, as well as Puja outfits for the entire family. I have already bought clothes for my in-laws and almost all my relatives.”
She added, “Prices for everything, including clothing, are higher this year compared to last year. I bought trousers, shirts, and shoes for the children, and those seemed expensive too.”
Diya Roy, who came shopping in the Nayasarak area, said, “I bought two unstitched three-piece sets and gave them to a tailor to be stitched. Today, I brought two friends along to buy matching outfits; on *Navami*, the three of us plan to visit various Puja *mandaps* (pavilions) in the city wearing these matching clothes.”
She also noted that, thanks to discounts offered by the shops, some clothes are available at lower prices this year compared to the last.
Siraj Uddin, a trader at Millennium Shopping City in Zindabazar, said, “Initially, there was some apprehension about how the Puja market would fare given the country’s changing situation.
Consequently, many traders stocked new clothes cautiously. However, customer turnout is good now, and sales are increasing as the festival approaches.”