Dhaka, March 14 -- Retail activity in the capital has gathered strong momentum as Eid-ul-Fitr approaches, with shoppers thronging major markets and shopping malls to complete their festive purchases.

Shopping malls drew shoppers much beyond their capacities on Friday, several days ahead of Eid al-Fitr, the largest Islamic festival.

Most of them have been operating until midnight to deal with the influx of customers, as many of them prefer to join a shopping spree after Iftar to skip the growing hot temperature during the day.

During a visit to several shopping hubs in the city, including New Market, Elephant Road and Bashundhara City Shopping Complex, this scribe found a steady flow of customers throughout the day.

Traders said the nu...