Karnaphuli folded, what about Eastern Plaza and Alpana Plaza?
Agamir Somoy Collage.
"For several years now, business has been in a slump. And this year the situation is even worse compared to last year," said Mohammad Sarwar. He is the owner of Tarunima Fashion at Eastern Plaza in the capital's Hatirpool. As he spoke about his business, frustration dripped from his voice. His clothing shop is on the third floor.
Eastern Plaza began its journey in 1992. The shopping complex opened with four and a half hundred shops. Advertisements like "Shopping is fun, Eastern Plaza" were seen on television screens at the time.
With air conditioning, escalators, and capsule lifts, this modern shopping center became an attractive shopping destination. Because at that time, modern markets like Bashundhara City or Jamuna Future Park had not yet been built in Dhaka.
Times have changed. Countless shopping malls have been established in Dhaka. People have also found alternative places for their daily shopping. As a result, Eastern Plaza has lost its former appeal.
Photo: Agamir Somoy.
Sarwar has been doing business in this shopping mall for 16 years. However, given the rate at which customers have declined over the past few years, he is doubtful whether his business can be kept afloat.
Around the same time as Eastern Plaza in Hatirpool, the bustling shopping centers in Dhaka included Alpana Plaza, Polwell Super Market, and Karnaphuli Garden City Shopping Complex.
Among these, the Karnaphuli Garden City Shopping Complex in Kakrail closed down just last month. The others are still open. But the business environment is not favorable, claim the shop owners. According to them, they are struggling to survive.
Businesspeople were asked why business at these shopping complexes is in a slump. They cited several reasons. Among them, the inability to compete with the big shopping centers came up first. The expansion of online shopping has also limited the scope of their business. They believe that the country's economy not being dynamic is also responsible for customers not coming.
However, Mohammad Helal Uddin, president of the Bangladesh Shop Owners Association, has a different view. He hopes that all types of business are currently in a slump. If the national economy regains momentum, the picture will change within a few months.
Karnaphuli Garden City Closed After 28 Years
Karnaphuli Garden City Shopping Complex, which opened in 1998 with facilities such as a green garden above the fourth floor, escalators, capsule lifts, CCTV, and a children's play park, closed down on October 1.
At one time, this shopping mall had 198 shops. But gradually dwindling, only 23 to 25 remained until just before the closure.
Photo: Agamir Somoy.
The businesspeople of this shopping complex said that due to the impact of the flyover construction, the collapse of business during the pandemic, the crisis of customer confidence, and falling behind in competition with the big shopping malls, customers gradually decreased.
As customers decreased, collecting service charges from shop owners also became difficult. Electricity bills worth about Tk 50 lakh accumulated. Ultimately, the owners concerned decided to close the shopping complex.
Eastern Plaza Is Struggling
A visit to Eastern Plaza in Hatirpool on Wednesday evening found hardly any customers. Businesspeople say this is a daily scene.
On the first floor of Eastern Plaza are cosmetics, crockery, handicrafts, salons, beauty parlors, and children's toy shops. On the second floor are saree, cloth, and tailor shops. On the third floor are ready-made garments and children's products, and on the fourth floor are jewelry, shoes, and leather goods shops. On the fifth floor, various products including mobile phones, electronics, watches, and eyeglasses are being sold.
That day, there were virtually no customers in most of the shops. Sellers were passing the time—some chatting, others scrolling through their mobile phones. Shutters of several shops on the second and third floors were also seen pulled down.
Several shop owners said their sales are decreasing every year. As online-based shopping has increased, customers are no longer coming to the market as before. Many customers have shifted toward shopping malls' products being sold on footpaths. At the same time, people's purchasing capacity has also decreased.
Sarwar, owner of Tarunima Fashion, said, "Previously, sales would remain low for two months after Eid-ul-Azha. Now the situation is the same all year round."
This is a daily scene at Eastern Plaza. Photo: Agamir Somoy
He said that although Durga Puja passed recently, business was not as expected.
As customers at this shopping mall have decreased, many are thinking of moving elsewhere. Sarwar said, "No one will run a business here at a loss, right?"
Meanwhile, several businesspeople have alleged that efforts are underway to remove clothing traders from the second and third floors. They believe that, after removing them, shops selling electric products including mobile phones, computers, and laptops will be set up there.
Speaking to Agamir Somoy on condition of anonymity, a businessman on the second floor said that after Eastern Plaza opened, Motaleb Plaza was built right next to it. There, customers crowd for buying and servicing mobile phones and laptops. Following that business model, an initiative is being taken to relocate the shops on the second and third floors of Eastern Plaza and build a market for mobile and technology products.
"Our shop rent is Tk 50,000 per month. Besides, we also had to pay advance money. But I've heard that some mobile phone shops on the second floor are being offered space without any advance."
While talking with this businessman, another businessman named Imtiaz Ahmed came to the shop. He also joined the conversation. He expressed his concerns. He said everyone would be in trouble if they were removed in this way.
"If we are suddenly removed, our businesses will shut down. It will also take time to find a new place and start a business. We owe money to many wholesalers, and those debts will also have to be paid."
"This will put our investment at risk," Imtiaz said with anxiety.
Moreover, if technology product shops are set up everywhere after removing them, customers will be deprived, according to this businessman. He said, "The convenience customers have long enjoyed of buying different types of products under one roof will also be destroyed."
No Customers in Eastern Plus Either
No significant customer presence was seen at Eastern Plus Shopping Mall in Shantinagar either. Although there were some customers in the cosmetics, handicrafts, and toy shops on the ground floor of the shopping complex, there was not much of a crowd on the other floors. While one or two customers were seen in some clothing shops, most shops were nearly empty of customers.
Md. Joynal, manager of Safin Fashion, said there have been virtually no customers since after the puja. Sales may increase somewhat once winter clothing arrives.
When asked about the reasons for the low customer turnout, he said customer numbers at shopping malls have been declining for a long time due to the expansion of online sales. Many people no longer want to brave traffic jams to come to the market.
Raising the issue of the risk of fraud in online shopping, Joynal opined that the government should impose certain conditions in this regard. If online sellers are made to mandatorily have specific outlets or shops, defrauded customers can go there and file complaints if needed.
Customers Also Down at Alpana Plaza
Alpana Plaza on New Elephant Road. At one time, customers from various parts of the capital used to come here to shop. That is now a thing of the past, lament the businesspeople of this market.
A visit showed that although there were some customers in the suit-coat shops on the ground floor, there were very few on the other floors.
Businesspeople said there used to be more shops selling cloth, shoes, and various types of products here. Due to the business slump, many shops have changed their type and started businesses in electronics and various technology products.
Shop owners at Alpana Plaza see the decline in customers' purchasing power and the construction of modern shopping complexes like Multiplan nearby as reasons for the drop in business.
Md. Sohag, owner of Mithila Fashion, said customers prefer to shop from a particular market once they develop trust in it. If there are good and attractive shopping complexes nearby, sales at other markets naturally decline.Polwell Super Market in Nayapaltan initially started its journey with 33 shops in a one-story building. In the 1970s, the market was known for imported electronics and cosmetics. Foreign clothing for men and children, shoes, belts, keds, and various products were sold here.In 1988, the market took the form of a six-story building. The number of shops rose to 365. In the 1990s, this shopping complex bustled with sales. But with time, everything has changed.Not many customers were seen in the market's clothing shops. Although there were some customers in a few shoe shops, most shops did not see much business.Businesspeople said sales were good here even a few years ago. Later, as importing goods became easier, the number of importers across the country increased. Along with that, the construction of new shopping complexes nearby has caused a downturn in Polwell Market's business.Azam Khan, a businessman at Mosarraf Traders, said Nayapaltan has now fallen somewhat behind in the capital. After Gulistan Stadium Market opened, the electronics business has also collapsed. Sales during Eid are no longer what they used to be. Wholesale sales have declined somewhat, but retail sales have fallen a lot.However, Polwell Market still has acceptability among some people. One of them is Md. Nasim (27). He had come from Kakrail to buy shoes.Photo: Agamir Somoy.Nasim said he has been buying shoes from here for about seven years. The place is trustworthy to him. He used to buy clothes from here too. Now he goes more with friends to Jamuna Future Park to buy clothes.Regarding the decline in sales at old shopping malls, Helal Uddin, president of the Bangladesh Shop Owners Association, told Agamir Somoy, "Business doesn't always stay the same. Good and bad situations will exist. Currently, the business situation at most shopping malls is going badly. However, the situation will return to normal within the next two to three months."Helal Uddin thinks the government's decision to save electricity has also affected business. Therefore, he favors extending the time shops can stay open after evening.Helal Uddin said the main sales time for shopping malls is the evening. But with the time limit for keeping shops open set at 8 pm, businesspeople are being harmed.He said the shop owners' association has proposed to the government to extend the shop opening hours by another hour, until 9 pm, for this reason. However, no decision has come yet.
