Once in our lifetime, we all have negotiated for something to an extent. Nowadays, negotiation is certainly important to make the other side understand your capability to work in any circumstances and ask for your needs. Even, companies hire people who have strong negotiation skills. But, do you know how negotiation can be modified as an art form? The answer is simple. Bargaining. The art of bargaining!

Almost every person in this city aces in this art. Bargaining is often said to be in the ‘blood of the city’. No matter what you want to buy, how much does it cost, is it cheap or costly, your initial tendency is to bargain. You would use this art while buying a dress from the markets of  Hatibagan, Esplanade, or Gariahat, as well as for buying a balloon from the street side. You would walk miles and keep on bargaining till you find your bargaining self, satisfied. Actually, it is worth it. You can constantly brush up your skills, and improve them every day with new techniques.

Now, coming to a deep analysis of bargaining. The art of bargaining is not only restricted to the economic context. It has also spread into the psychological and emotional arenas. “Dada, Ami student achi, ar taka nei, 50 takae diye dao please?” or “phuchka gulo khub choto chilo, ar ektu phau dao”, and on and on.

Let’s think about it the other way round. The city has a long experience of getting cheated often, sometimes by the government, sometimes by the big businessmen, sometimes even lovers, that there is no other option than to master the art of bargaining.