CHORA, Afghanistan — In the days leading up to Eid al-Fitr, tailor shops and market stalls in Afghanistan’s Uruzgan Province would typically be buzzing with activity, as residents prepared to celebrate one of the most important holidays in the Islamic calendar. But this year, shopkeepers say business was all but stagnant.
“We barely had any work this Ramadan,” said Nizamuddin, who runs a small tailor shop in the Chora district market. “I’ve sewn maybe 10 or 15 outfits—total. People are just too poor. They wear old clothes now, even for Eid.”
Nizamuddin is not alone in his frustration. Traders and tailors across Uruzgan are reporting a sharp drop in income, attributing it to widespread poverty, soaring unemployment and the absence of international assistance since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
Abdul Malik, a merchant in the same district, stood behind a stall full of unsold goods. “I brought these items to sell for Eid, but people can’t afford them,” he said. “We’ve even started selling flour by the kilo because no one can buy a full sack.”
Residents describe a bleak economic picture. “There’s no work, no money, and no means to feed our families,” said Rashid, another resident of Uruzgan. “People can’t even afford the basics—oil, rice, or flour.”
This year’s Eid, typically a time of joy and festivity, has instead become a stark reminder of economic hardship for many families in the region. With incomes dwindling and prices rising, the holiday passed without the usual gatherings, new clothes, or celebratory meals.
Shopkeepers said the lack of foreign aid, coupled with limited economic activity under Taliban rule, has plunged many households deeper into poverty. Without meaningful intervention, they fear this year’s subdued Eid could be a sign of harsher seasons ahead.
