With the Eid only one or two days away, shoppers are pouring into the malls and makeshift shops in the Dhaka city to finish their last-minute buy. 
The salespersons and people say those who stay in the city during the Eid holiday comprise the majority of the eleventh-hour shoppers who will be scouring the shops for hours after the moon is sighted. 
Tania Karim, a banker, who came to the Basundhara City on Thursday night said, ‘I did shopping even after midnight as the law and order situation looks good.’
She felt safe that the law enforcers were in guard in front of the enormous mall on Panthapath.
‘That makes us feel safe and go about the shops till after midnight,’ she said.
Most last-minute buys typically comprise home décor articles, toiletries, fashion accessories and shoes, the shoppers said.
City’s Elephant Road and New Market shops draw a large crowd buying home décor items like curtains, pillow covers, bedcovers; sofa covers and show pieces.
Many customers at these shops complained about the exorbitant prices saying that they had to bargain a lot to settle the prices which still taxed their budget.
Moghbazar resident Saiful Azim, struggling to push his way into the crowds of Bata and Apex Gallery showrooms, said they finished buying their dresses and now came to buy footwear.
But salespersons at Basundhara City said crowds became much thinner now as thousands of people were leaving the city for their village home.
Dhaka Mahanagar Dokan Malik Samity organising secretary Shah Alam Khandaker complained about having a dull business this year.
‘This year turnover will be at least 20 per cent less than that of the other years in recent past,’ he said.
He said in earlier years the shops registered with the Samity had an average turnover of around Tk 35 thousand crore during each Ramadan. 
‘Shoppers’ turnout was surprisingly down. We think it was caused by the long pre-Eid holiday when a large number of people left the city,’ he added.
The round-the-clock shopping will go on till August 19 or the next day, depending on the sighting of the moon.