Cashless payments are adding to the joys of Eid shopping, traveling, Iftar and Sehri meals. Thanks to the hefty discounts offered by banks and mobile financial services (MFS) credit card holders are making best use of the facilities. Banks keeping in mind the demand of different types of their customers, provide up to 80 percent discount, cashback, and buy one get one offers in purchasing products and services using credit and debit cards during this Eid festival. Some banks are offering discounts on the purchase of various products including Eid clothes, shoes, and jewellery. In addition, iftar prices are discounted throughout the month of Ramadan. There are also many 'Eid gifts' including buy one get one offers. According to the people involved, the trend of increasing the prices of goods and services around the festival has been going on for a long time in Bangladesh. But with the passage of time, such a tendency is gradually decreasing; The picture is changing. Now in Bangladesh too, the prices of products are being discounted during the festival. Read: Standard Chartered unveils special deals, offers Ramadan-Eid to promote cashless experience “Banks have added a new level in terms of discounts. They offer many benefits in avoiding cash, which discourages the risk of carrying cash and encourages purchases on cards. Banks have arranged special offers for their card holders,” Mashrur Arefin, Managing Director and CEO of City Bank told UNB while talking about Eid offers of banks. He said that as many as 300 lifestyle stores offer up to 60 percent and more than 50 jewelery establishments offer up to 80 percent discount for their cardholders. In addition, customers will get up to 70 percent discount on online shopping payments. Besides, more than 130 restaurants have ‘buy one get one’ offer or up to 30 percent off on Iftar and Dinner. Apart from this, various offers have been announced on airfares for returning home and traveling abroad during Eid, he said. Encouraging a cashless society, currently, StanChart provides up to 60 percent discount, which is convenient to the customers in the use of seven types of credit cards to make Eid more enjoyable, said Sabbir Ahmed, head of consumer banking of StanChart. “We hope our customers will go cashless to make the most of the benefits and privileges offered by our card offer", he said. Read: Bangladesh moves towards cashless society: PM Hasina on launching Taka Pay card Soumya Basu, Country Manager, Bangladesh, Nepal & Bhutan of Visa told UNB, “We are on way to becoming a truly cashless Bangladesh with the rise of non-cash forms of payment.” “During the holy month of Ramadan, we have witnessed that Visa cardholders continue to avail the benefits of digital payments – its convenience, inherent security, and speed – while they shop and spend online and offline,” he said. “We expect this trend of transacting digitally to accelerate in the days leading to Eid and are delighted to empower our cardholders with the security, ease of use, and power of the Visa network,” Soumya pointed out. Moulude Hossain, Deputy General Manager, Strategy and Product, ‘Upay’ of UCB told UNB that upay has thousands of merchant points across the country so that our users can practice piety without any additional stress during the holy month of Ramadan and enjoy Eid festivity hassle-free. To add further convenience to "our users’ lifestyles, we have recently introduced UCB-upay co-branded prepaid card, which anyone can avail of even without having a bank account," he said, On the other hand, upay brought the most exciting offers for its valuable users in Ramadan to double the joy of Eid festivity, he said. Read more: Nagad MD proposes cashless transactions to save billions and build a smart Bangladesh More banks including Eastern Bank, Brac Bank, Bank Asia, NBRC Bank, AB Bank, and Islami Bank Bangladesh, among MFSs bkash and Nagad also offer discounts in Eid in cashless shopping and travelling.

Eid, the festival of joy and togetherness, calls for celebration and dressing up in the finest attire. Bangladeshi apparel brands are renowned for their craftsmanship and cultural richness, making them ideal for Eid shopping. With a plethora of options available, families can find the perfect attire to celebrate the festive season in style. 10 Renowned Bangladeshi Clothing Brands for Men, Women and Children Aarong Aarong, a household name in Bangladesh, is synonymous with quality craftsmanship and timeless elegance. Established in 1978 by Ayesha Abed, Aarong is owned by the non-profit organization BRAC. The term 'Aarong' refers to a 'village fair' and it was established to preserve local culture, heritage, crafts, and styles while empowering artisans in rural areas. Aarong is a pioneer in promoting Bangladeshi crafts.  Renowned for its traditional yet contemporary designs, Aarong offers a diverse range of clothing options for men, women, and children. From intricately embroidered sarees and panjabis to trendy kurtas and salwar kameez sets, Aarong celebrates the essence of Bangladeshi culture in every garment. Read more: How to Identify an Authentic Bangladeshi Jamdani Saree? Anjan’s Anjan’s is another prominent name in the Bangladeshi fashion industry, celebrated for its exquisite ethnic wear collections. Anjan’s was founded by Shaheen Ahmed in 1994. With a focus on exquisite fabrics and intricate detailing, Anjan’s offers a stunning array of sarees, lehengas, and sherwanis for Eid festivities.  Anjan’s not only excels in fashion design but also provides employment opportunities for impoverished women in rural villages. Whether you're looking for traditional attire with a modern twist or timeless classics, Anjan’s craftsmanship ensures elegance and sophistication. Yellow Catering exclusively to men, Yellow is renowned for its dapper collection of panjabis, shirts, and suits tailored to perfection. Yellow, established in 2004 by Salman F Rahman, is a clothing brand owned by Beximco. The latest craze among the youth, Yellow stands out as one of Bangladesh's trendiest fashion brands.  Read more: Personal Grooming Tips and Tricks for Better Life and Career

On the occasion of the holy Eid-ul-Azha, the mobile financial service Nagad has rolled out a special campaign to provide customers with additional benefits while shopping from any place across the country. Customers will receive up to a 30 percent cashback or discount in 14 categories at more than 5,000 outlets of about 300 brands throughout the country upon making the purchases using Nagad. Customers throughout the country can make payments via Nagad. Under the 'Utshob-er Khushi, Nagad-a Beshi' campaign customers will be able to enjoy this cashback or discount on Nagad payments in a variety of categories this Eid, including e-commerce, electronics, groceries, cattle hut, superstore, and tours & travel. These offers will be available till 16 July 2022, said, a press release. Also read: Nagad employees to donate one day's salary to relief efforts in Sylhet, Sunamganj Customers will be able to enjoy an instant cashback of up to 20 percent if they make the payment through Nagad for purchasing any electronic product including the refrigerators till Eid day. The offer is available at Brands stores including Minister, Walton, Electro Mart, Butterfly, Best Electronics, Rangs Electronics Limited, Transcom Electronics, Vision Emporium, Singer Bangladesh Limited and many more. In addition, on the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha, Meghdubi Agro, Domestic Agro, and Sadeeq Agro are among the digital platforms for purchasing sacrificial animals from which customers will receive an instant cashback of up to Tk 300 if they make the payment with Nagad. The promotion will be available till Eid day. Customers will also get up to 50 percent discount or cashback on online payments through Nagad for purchasing any product from a specific e-commerce merchant's website. Customers will get this offer from brands like Fairmart, Monarch Mart, Priyshop. Also read: Technical, madrasa students to get stipends through Nagad Customers can enjoy up to 60 percent discount on 'Room or Flight Booking' from a range of hotels or travel agencies for traveling during Eid holidays. This attractive discount will be available at SS Holidays, Buy Air Tickets BD, Trip Trix, Trip Beyond, Trust Holidays, Cosmos Holidays, Fly Asia Limited, Prasad Paradise, Nazimgarh Resort and many more. Regarding the campaign, Sheikh Aminur Rahman, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Nagad said, "Customers will enjoy the exclusive offers under a variety of categories during the holy Eid-ul-Azha shopping. Through this campaign, we are attempting to make people's life a bit simpler. This campaign is aimed at making our customers’ shopping experience more convenient, from anywhere in the country." Read Nagad to partner LankaBangla in furthering financial inclusion

Two sisters were found dead on Sunday two days after their father took them with him promising to buy dresses for Eid-ul-Fitr in Sundarganj upazila of Gaibandha. Police recovered the bodies of Hashi,12, and Khushi,13 from the Teesta River at Haripur village on Sunday after they remained missing for the last two days, Iftekharul Mokaddem, officer-in-Charge of Sundarganj police station. Aduri Begum, mother of the two girls,  alleged that their father and her ex-husband Hamidur Rahman, resident of Kani Charitabari village, killed the two girls. Also read: Woman found dead in Magura Aduri Begum said she was living with her two daughters at her father’s house in Bajra village in Kurigram since Hamidul divorced her over a family fued. “Two days ago Hamidul came to Bajra and took Hashi and Khushi saying he would buy Eid dresses for them. But they remained missing since then,”said Aduri Begum. Meanwhile, locals of Haripur village on Sunday noon found the floating bodies of the two girls in the river and informed police. Also read: 55-yr-old Hindu woman found dead in Kushtia OC Iftekharul Mokaddem,” We are investigating the matter. It might be a murder incident  as the father remained absconding since the recovery of the bodies.”

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam has directed his subordinates to be on high alert to prevent incidents of crime during the holy month of Ramadan and the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr.  The commissioner was addressing the monthly meeting at DMP headquarters on Monday to review incidents of crime that occurred last month.   The city police boss said as with the Eid approaching shoppers will increasingly throng markets and shopping malls, where Malam (ointment) Party and Aggyan Party or Tana (snatcher) Party are likely to be active. READ: Pahela Baishakh celebrations must end by 2 pm: DMP Commissioner Therefore, he said, the patrol teams of the police stations have to perform their responsibilities with more vigilance. If necessary, special teams should be formed to deal with such criminals, the DMP commissioner added. He said criminals should be identified, arrested and brought under the law to prevent crime. Addressing the traffic division, the commissioner said, “Traffic congestion has increased due to rise in public movement before Eid. The traffic flow at the entrances of Dhaka has to be kept normal by coordinating with the police of the surrounding districts, he said. He reminded the city police force during Eid vacation many city dwellers travel to their village homes to share festival with their loved ones. At this time their homes mostly remain unoccupied. In order to prevent any untoward incident at this time, police have to talk to the security guards of the house and take necessary measures, he said.

Customers will enjoy 5 to 40 percent instant cashback on bKash payment at around 4,500 shopping outlets across the country on the occasion of Ramadan and the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr till May 15. A customer can avail maximum Tk 300 in a day and maximum Tk 500 during the whole campaign as cashback, said a media release on Wednesday.  In addition, cashback on Iftar and grocery payment at various outlets are also available. Also Read: bKash offers 1 pc cash bonus on receiving remittance Customers can get the offer through bKash app, USSD code *247# or payment gateway. Customers can avail this offer by making bKash payment for purchasing various lifestyle products and services such as: accessories, clothing, e-commerce, footwear, electronics, superstore items, healthcare, restaurant/cafe, and many more. This offer includes Aarong, Anjan’s, Kay Kraft, Banglar Mela, Bibiana, Deshal, Le Reve, Rong, Sadakalo, Sailor, Nogordola, Bata, Zeil’s, Lotto, Orange, SaRa, LG Butterfly, Minister, Transcom, Singer, Sony Rangs, Kiva Han, Cafe Euphoria, BAO, Nawab Chatga, Baoxi Kafei, Salam's Kitchen, Khazana Sweets, Peyala, Bangla Shoppers, Boi Bichitra, Al Amin Jewellers, Baby Shop, Gentle Park, Foot Gear, Crescent, etc. and many other renowned shopping outlets. Read OPPO presents trove of gifts, offers for Eid In addition, bKash customers can enjoy Buy 1 Get 1 offer at After Hours Hotel and Resorts, Platinum Grand, Platinum Residence, Hansa- A Premium Residence, Best Western Plus Maya, Dhaka Regency, Best western Plus Maple Leaf, Asia Hotel and Resorts, Shinepukur Suites and The Way Dhaka.  However, customers can avail Buy 1 Get 3 offer on bKash payment at Long Beach Suites Dhaka.  Read iPhone Eid mega deal in G&G The offer will be valid till 14th May, 2021 and available through bKash APP & USSD code *247#. bKash is also offering up to 40% discount on various Iftar deals at Hotel Radisson, Hotel Sarina, Grace 21, Paragon Convention Hall, Munchery, Beans & Grills, Hotel Noorjahan Grand, Hotel Fountain and Adi Ashta Banjan Restaurant to make Iftar more enjoyable during this month of Ramadan.  The offer will be valid till May 15, 2021. Also Read: Up to 500 Tk Cashback on card to bKash 'Add Money' In order to make payment through bKash app, customer has to type the merchant number by tapping on the 'Make Payment' icon on the home screen or by going to the merchant point and scanning the QR code directly.  Customers can easily go to the 'Offers' section of the bKash app as well and check the ongoing offers around them. Read Samsung brings unique offers ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr

"Anondomela" an online marketplace initiated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for small and medium enterprises, has partnered with Joyeeta Foundation to organise the largest online fair for Eid during the COVID pandemic. Anondomela Facebook page (facebook.com/anondomelashop) will remain active for the fair from April 24 to May 6, from 8 am to 8 pm, with an array of clothing, jewellery, home decor, food items and other knick-knacks from women-led small and medium enterprises, according to a UNDP press release. Anondomela was launched by UNDP in April 2020 as an online marketplace for SMEs struggling to make sales amid the pandemic. Read Retailers brace for flood of returns from online shopping "Our initiative aims to ease the pressure that the Covid-19 crisis has put on these very small and largely informal entrepreneurs, at a time when most feel naturally inclined to demonstrate more social solidarity and care during the holy month," said Resident Representative of UNDP Bangladesh Sudipto Mukerjee. Joyeeta Foundation is a long-running initiative of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs. The foundation empowers women entrepreneurs and artisans by creating a secure channel for them to showcase and sell their products. "During this ongoing crisis in Bangladesh, when our entrepreneurs are struggling to survive, we are glad to be organising this online fair that will give them an opportunity to sell their products to a large audience. This online fair is part of our continuous efforts to come to people's aid in their time of need," said Joyeeta Foundation's Managing Director Afroza Khan. Read Walton offers big discounts on online purchases The online fair will have five 30-minute slots that will be divided among entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurs can post details about their products and directly connect with buyers. They can also promote their businesses through this opportunity. Interested SMEs are encouraged to join Anondomela as a seller to participate in the fair. Their products can be delivered seamlessly through 'ekshop' delivery. Read Lockdown: Shops, shopping malls to reopen from Apr 25

New Market Owners’ Association installed four disinfection tunnels as they open for business ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest festival of Muslims.

The coronavirus pandemic has killed Eid joy.

Eid shoppers started thronging various markets and footpaths in the capital ignoring the risk of coronavirus infection ignoring requests of health experts to stay at home.