Bonikbarta Exclusive

At New Market, Rahman Bedding's owner, Azim, prepared to close his shop by 4 PM. On a typical day, his sales would average between BDT 40 thousand to 50 thousand. Sometimes, sales even reach BDT 70 thousand. However, yesterday, only three to four customers visited, resulting in a meager BDT three thousand to four thousand in sales. Over the past few days, his sales have dropped by more than 90%.

Azim noted that many shops in New Market have seen no customers since morning. The entire shopping complex is facing a critical period, with business nearly at a standstill. Many shop owners now worry about covering their expenses, including electricity and employee salaries.

This scene is seen across most of Dhaka’s shopping centers. The aftermath of the recent clashes has left shops devoid of customers. Many owners are reporting a 90 percent drop in sales. The ongoing situation has made it challenging for them to meet business expenses.

After five days of closure, Dhaka’s shopping centers and shops reopened for a few hours last Wednesday (July 24). Since then, they have only been able to operate during the hours when curfew was relaxed. Yet customer presence remains minimal. Three days on, shopping centers still see very few visitors.

At Bashundhara Shopping Mall, the clothing store 'Tom and Jerry' faces daily expenses of around 10,000 taka, according to the store employees. However, over the past three days, they haven't made even that in sales. Yesterday, not a single customer visited. Business is practically non-existent.

Hajera, owner of a clothing store in Farmview Shopping Mall at Farmgate, told Bonik Barta, “During the COVID-19 pandemic, we incurred losses of around BDT 1.5 million. It took us two years to recover. For the past 15 days, we’ve had virtually no sales. I have two employees to pay. This time, our losses might be worse. We are going to face big losses. Even with the curfew eased for three days, there are no customers. People are still scared.”

Many businesses are also suffering due to disruptions at the Chattogram port, affecting the clearance of goods. Stores reliant on imported goods, particularly crockery, are facing major losses. An employee of Medina Trading in New Super Market said, “We import various goods. Several truckloads are stuck at the port. We can’t even sell what we have in stock at our shops.”

Business owners reported that disruptions in internet and banking services are compounding their losses. They are facing challenges in completing transactions. Many shop owners are struggling to pay their employees, and some are resorting to partial payments.

One shop owner at Farmview Shopping Mall said, “The daily earnings aren’t even enough to cover the electricity bill leading to uncertainty of paying our employees. We’re giving what little we can. They can’t go hungry.”

Business owners believe that keeping their shops open longer and attracting more customers is crucial for survival in this challenging time. Otherwise, they won’t be able to cover their operational costs.

Employees are also facing uncertainty regarding their salaries. Hossain Shahadat, an employee at Janata Fashion in New Market, said their shop was closed for several days during the nationwide clashes. With the relaxed curfew, the shop is kept open for a limited period.  He hasn't received his full salary this month as sales have plummeted.

Shahadat added, “Our owner has three more shops in New Market, employing 10-12 staff. Only two of us are working, while the others have gone home. No one dares to return until the situation normalizes. Those of us who live nearby have managed to come. I have to come to work out of necessity. I’m the sole breadwinner in my family. Shops were closed for five days. Even before that, sales were low. We have no choice but to work.”

Conversations with several other shop owners and employees revealed that the lack of customer presence is due to the situation not returning to normalcy. There is still a lingering fear amid the people. They estimate it will take several more days for the situation to normalize, but by then, their losses will have grown significantly.

Customers, too, admit to feeling apprehensive. Due to the events of last few days, many are reluctant to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary.

One such customer on Green Road talked to Bonik Barta. A teacher at a private college who requested anonymity, said, “I stayed home entirely for several days. Today, after seven days, I ventured out to buy some essentials. There’s still a sense of fear. My family members also avoid going out unless necessary. I am not allowing them to go out either.”