"Of course the local boutiques and fashion houses offer nice and quality dresses but that is beyond our means," said Nadia Noor Alam, a student of Eden College.

Local dresses that fit the budget, often do not suit the taste, observed most of the customers. Teeming buyers are jostling at Eastern Plaza or Chadni Chowk that are full of Indian clothes.

The sight also makes you remember that Eid is just a few weeks away, in case you've forgotten.

Even the Dhanmondi Hawkers market, crammed with people and abuzz with the sounds of haggling, offer Indian saris in plentiful. Short length kameez or kurta brought from India is proving to be a hit among the city's women this year.

"Patiala Gharara is the most sought after attire by young ladies," said a salesperson of Bhadhon Fashion at Eastern Plaza. Its price ranges from Tk 4,000 to Tk 5,000. Kareena dress is also tempting the girls as it did during last Eid.

"Dhoti dress for women is a new attraction this year," said Ali Rana Chandan of Women's World who has already sold out his stock. Salwar kameez adorned with kundan and chumki are also drawing the women buyers at Femina Fashion at Genetic Plaza that sells only Pakistani dresses. These dresses named as Benezi cotton and Bareez Chiffon cost from Tk 3500 to Tk 4800.

The biggest crowd throngs sari stores at any shopping complex. Saris ranging from Tk 300 to Tk 1, 65,000 are turning the heads of the womenfolk.

Among the local items, only the traditional Tangail Cotton is in demand. It's price range is also reasonable starting from Tk 300. But Indian saris are the pick of the more exclusive-minded. Embroidered saris are everybody's favourite.

Rangoli Sarees at Rapa Plaza has introduced Satin silk sari embroidered with gold plate zari and zardousi work. It costs a staggering Tk 1, 25,000. "We do not need to give it a name in line with Hindi movie stars or soaps to allure customers since people who have the taste and purchase capacity will automatically opt for it," said Abdul Kader Mollah of Rangoli.

However, other saree stores in the city proved their creativity while naming their collection. One of the most saleable items at Mone Rekho saree store is "Jhumka" and the other is "Channel I". The saree costing Tk 10,850 was named after Channel I, a popular TV channel since it became famous after being shown on it.

Another saree store at eastern Plaza is selling a curiously named "Montu Miar Anondo" which has an official name of "Festival". "Lehenga" remained popular as previous years but among the people of the high income group as they are exorbitantly expensive.

Rangoli Sarees brought a Lehenga from Fatehpur that costs Tk 1, 65,000. It is adorned with Kundan, Antics and Zardousi. Another women wear store Boshon is offering Mysore Net Katan Lehenga at Tk 40,500.

Traditionally embroidered punjabi is a must-buy for men during Eid shopping and thankfully, foreign stuff could not conquer the market. Apart from top fashion houses like Arong, Kay Kraft, Probortona, Banglar Mela, punjabis of different price and design range are available at the stores of Elephant road.

However, a slight change in its style has given punjabi a new dimension this year. Short length, different collar pattern, different texture is prominent in the collection of Kay Kraft. "Denim punjabi turned out to be so popular that we have exhausted our stock already" said Khalid Mahmud of Kay Kraft. Most of the salesperson at shopping complexes expressed their satisfaction on the buying spree of people.

Buyers have received their Eid bonus after the fifteenth of Ramadan and that enabled them to fulfill their demand, commented most the shop assistants. Some city dwellers are hurrying to finish their Eid Shopping before they set off for their home districts to celebrate Eid.

However, some of the shop owners and assistants said that sale hit a slump during this year. "This year the sale is almost one fourth of the last year," said one shop assistant at Eastern Plaza. There are saleable goodies at markets but people lack purchase capacity, the shop owners commented.

More markets in the city have also affected the profit since number of buyers got divided between them, observed M.A. Khalek of Resham Palli.