Photo: Amran Hossain

Many cannot think of a festival like Eid without punjabi. They do not want to miss the chance to pick up this attractive and comfortable dress from the city shops.
Although the festival vacation is yet to kick-off, the rush reached its peak everywhere, be it Elephant Road, Peer Yeamani Market, Gulistan, Gausia or Dhanmondi.
The demand for embroidered ones is high, according to retailers.
"To me, Eid means buying new punjabi," said Mansur Alam, who buys a piece, at least, every year. However, this senior executive of a private bank finds the prices relatively higher this time.
The prices of embroidered punjabi range from Tk 900 to Tk 2000 a piece. Posh shopping malls charge higher, between Tk 3000 and Tk 6000.
"Eid is only around four days away. Time is money now because we don't waste it in bargain. The high demand for punjabis turns a boon for us. Sales go brisk and we expect a peak time at Chand Rat (moon sighting night),” Mohammed Faruque of Khushaal, one of the largest punjabi stores on New Elephant Road, told The Daily Star yesterday.
A further rush of customers is imminent, as the Eid vacation starts today, he added.
On higher prices of embroidered punjabis, some shop owners pointed their fingers at the high cost of design and raw materials.
Retailers said they send simple punjabis to the designers in rural areas to embroider those in metal items and beads to make the pieces more attractive to the fashion-conscious buyers, especially the young section of the society.
Punjabis inscribed with traditional local symbols and heritages are available at Shahbagh area.
The presence of punjabi customers was found relatively thin in the upmarket like Gulshan area, as majority of them were window-shoppers.
Meanwhile, Bazlur Rahman of Moon Garment in Elephant Road area pointed to many options for the customers, in terms of markets and products.
However, upper middle class customers and young people are more interested in branded shirts, rather than a new punjabi, he said.
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