Flower sales across the country fell sharply this Pahela Phalgun due to the long holiday during the 13th Jatiya Sangsad elections, traders reported on Saturday.
Although Pahela Phalgun and Valentine’s Day coincided on 14 February, a rare overlap that sellers had hoped would double their earnings, the colourful celebrations failed to generate the expected commercial bloom.
Traders said customer turnout was significantly lower than in previous years, with many residents still outside Dhaka following the polls.
University campuses, traditionally the epicentre of Phalgun festivities, also remained relatively quiet.
Every year, flower shops at Shahbagh witness overwhelming crowds ahead of the spring festival and Valentine’s Day.
This year, however, traders described the atmosphere as unusually subdued, with more onlookers than buyers.
Shops displayed locally grown roses, jasmine and marigolds, locally known as gondhoraj, along with other seasonal flowers, while lilies were selling at around Tk 500 each.
Although the variety was abundant, traders said the number of buyers was noticeably lower than in previous years.
Abul Kalam, president of the Bangladesh Small Flower Traders’ Association, told New Age that 55 registered sellers were operating at Shahbagh under the association’s banner.
He said a four-day break linked to the national election disrupted deliveries and affected overall supply.
‘Dhaka is still relatively empty. That is why sales are not up to the mark like previous years,’ he said. ‘Many people are taking pictures, but few are buying.’
He added that total sales at the market could still approach around Tk 1 crore by the end of the day, but that would fall short of traders’ expectations and targets.
He expressed hope that business would rebound once the new parliament is formed and normal activities resume.
Md Jamal Hossen, owner of New Love Line Pushpalaya at Shahbagh, said that in previous years, Pahela Phalgun and Valentine’s Day were observed on separate dates, allowing traders to benefit from two peak sales days.
‘This year, we have only one day of business. If the days were separate, overall sales and profits would have been higher,’ he said.
Red and multicoloured roses remained the top-selling flowers, but prices dropped sharply due to low footfall.
Roses that usually sell for Tk 150 to Tk 180 on the day were being offered at Tk 50 to Tk 70 this year.
Flowers are mainly supplied from Savar, Godkhali in Jashore, Chuadanga, Chattogram and Tangail, traders said.
Despite the slowdown, Jamal expressed hope that individual shops at Shahbagh might still record sales exceeding Tk 100,000 by the end of the day.
Apart from roses, scentless jasmine garlands for women’s hair were selling at Tk 30 each, while fragrant jasmine ranged between Tk 100 and Tk 130.
Some traders also alleged that content creators and mobile journalists had been crowding shop entrances since morning, making customers uncomfortable.
‘Many customers hesitate to enter when they see cameras. Some have complained, while others do not want to face the camera,’ said a shopkeeper who preferred not to be named.
Still, a few buyers made their way to the market.
Robiul Awal Robin, a government employee, bought a lily bouquet for Tk 550 for his newly married wife and said he was satisfied with the purchase.
Outside the capital, traders reported a similar trend.
In Rajshahi’s Saheb Bazar area, Monirul Islam said business was significantly lower than last year.
‘We had high hopes centring on Valentine’s Day and the parliamentary elections. Usually, this day ensures brisk sales from morning till late at night. But this year, customer turnout is much lower,’ he said.
He added that traders had stocked large quantities of roses, gerberas and gladiolus, anticipating strong demand.
‘We increased supply considering both the elections and Valentine’s Day atmosphere. But sales did not match expectations,’ he said.
Abdul Majid, another trader at the city’s Railgate area, said the electoral process prompted many students to leave for their hometowns to vote.
‘Rajshahi is largely a city of students. A significant portion of our customers are university and college students. As many of them left the city ahead of the polls, the usual Valentine’s crowd is missing,’ he said.
In Chattogram, the situation appeared even starker.
Ujjal Das, manager of Shorup Flower Shop, said sales had dropped dramatically compared to previous years.
‘Last year, total sales in the market were around Tk 50 to 60 lakhs. This year, the flower market in Chattogram will not even reach close to Tk 10 lakhs,’ he said.
He attributed the decline to limited public outings and the absence of large celebrations due to the election.
‘People did not come out much, and there were no grand celebrations. We also did not receive bulk orders. If supporters buy flowers to welcome the newly elected MPs, perhaps business may regain some momentum,’ he added.
