"Around 30 percent of the annual sales of jewellery shops take place during the Eid-ul-Fitr. But this year, the situation is different," MA Wadud Khan, acting president of Bangladesh Jewellers' Samity, said.

He said spiralling prices and erosion of purchasing capacity of the people have kept the sales at low levels.

Sales of gold ornaments prior to the Eid festival have fallen across the country compared to the previous years due to high prices, traders at Baitul Mukarram market said, adding the price of 10-gram of 22-carat gold is now Tk 10,600 and 21-carat gold Tk 10,120.

"The capital Dhaka is witnessing sluggish sales due to high prices," said Raju, a salesman of Venus Jewellers.

"Gold witnesses high demand ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr. But the sale this year is just about 40 percent lower than that of the last year," he said.

Ganga Charan Malakar, a jewellery trader in Dhaka, said there are five to seven jewellers in Dhaka that sell gold worth Tk 7 lakh per day on an average, while the middle-range traders sell Tk 3 to 4 lakh worth of gold a day.

However, the jewellers hoped the sales may go up again when the wedding season begins with the arrival of winter.