With only a few days before the Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindus, shopping is gaining momentum in Thakurgaon. 

The shop owners and employees are passing busy time amid rush of customers at their shops and boutique houses at North Circular Road, Old Bus Stand area and markets of Thakurgaon Railway Station in the municipality area.

"Like every year, clothing traders have stocked sufficient amount of popular items ahead of the Durga Puja. This year, sales have been better than the previous several years, and we hope to make good profit," said Santosh Agarwal, owner of Santosh Bosralays on North Circular Road.  

Santosh said he thinks the recent salary hike of government employees a reason for the rise in sales.  

Chandana Ghosh, owner of Karupanya, a popular boutique house in the town, said she made a good numbers of dresses for customers of all ages, and has already sold most of them.

"I bought dresses for my husband and two minor sons on the occasion," said Anita Rani, a teacher of a government primary school.   

Dressmakers are also passing busy time ahead of the puja.

However, presence of rural people is low in the markets, said shopkeepers.

Less profit from paddy has kept most rural customers away from shopping, said Thakurgaon Traders' Association President Md Farid.

A least of 447 mandops have been set up in the district this year, said Tapan Kumar Ghosh, General Secretary of District Puja Udjapan Committee -- 197 in Sadar upazila, 113 in Pirganj, 53 in Ranishankoil, 62 in Baliadangi and 22 in Haripur upazila.

The government has allocated 500 kgs of rice for each mandop this year in the district, sources said.

Our correspondent in Lalmonirhat reports that coconut price has doubled in local markets as there is high demand for it during on the occasion.

Traders said a pair of coconuts is selling at Tk 80 to Tk 120, while it was Tk 45 to Tk 50 last year. Hindus buy coconut at high prices as they are a necessary element for performing the puja.