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The city's shopping malls and markets have started offering lucrative offers like discounts and raffle draws for the clients as the Eid-ul-Fitr is getting closer prompting the residents of Dhaka to throng the markets for shopping, reports BDNEWS.
The prizes offered in the raffle draws by some of the markets even included plots in posh areas like Baridhara and Uttara, cars and gold ornaments.
However, the discounts being offered are not as lucrative as the prizes of the raffle draws, as some clients said they are aware of as high as 50 per cent discount offered during such festivals in the western countries.
Mahmud, who was shopping at the Bashundhara Garden City, said: "The markets should give us high discount during such festivals."
"You will get 40 to 50 per cent discount during big festivals like Christmas abroad," said Mahmud, an official of Industrial Development Leasing Company Ltd (IDLC).
Basundhara Garden City, Karnafuli Garden City, Twin Tower Concord Shopping Complex, Plaza AR and numerous other shopping malls have announced attractive incentives for the clients ahead of the Eid.
A customer is given a coupon for purchases worth Tk 200 from the Bashundhara Garden City, which announced 240 prizes including a plot at river view project of Bashundhara, three cars, four motorcycles and other awards for purchases between October 10 and November 3.
The Karnafhuli Garden City has offered gold ornaments worth Tk 0.3 million for the customers participating in the raffle draw by purchasing goods worth Tk 300 or more.
The Twin Tower Concord Shopping Complex and Plaza AR have announced cars for the Eid-shoppers. Plaza AR will provide 810 awards, including a car for the clients taking part in the draw by purchasing products worth Tk 500 or above.
The shopping complexes, such as Eastern Plaza, Mouchak market and Century Arcade, which offered prizes for the clients last year, refrained from doing the same this year.
"We did not consider announcing special offer for the customers as we have good reputation among the people," Mushfiqur Rahman Khan, President of the Eastern Plaza Shop Owners' Cooperative Society, told the news agency.
He said the Eid-shoppers have already started to gather in the markets. "We have received a good number of customers during the last two days," he said.
Asked, Md. Helaluddin, President of Dhaka Metropolitan Shop Owners Association, said the declaration of such prizes has very little impact on the customers' psychology. "Normal flow of customers do not decline due to the non-declaration of prizes," he said.
However, Mostafa Kamal, branch manager of Westecs at Bashundhara city, differed with the view, saying "We have been able to attract good number of clients for offering prizes. Our sales are growing fast due to declaration of prizes."
Meena Bazar, a one-stop shopping mall, has announced 20 per cent discount on some products ahead of the Eid festival. Some shops at Motaleb Plaza also offered discounts.
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