Zakat clothes sale gains momentum

FE Report
Sale of clothes for Zakat in the country's biggest wholesale markets like Islampur and Baburhat has got momentum as hundreds of people from different parts of the country are thronging those to collect such clothes.
Traders concerned said sales increased significantly at the markets ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr thanks to a relatively cool political situation this year.
Ariful Islam, a cloth trader at Kader Sarker Tower in Islampur, was passing a very busy time Friday afternoon.
Talking to the FE at his shop, he said the sales of lungi, sari and kids' wear for Zakat purpose increased nearly by 50 per cent this year.
"Political deadlock last year caused trouble to our business, but this year the condition is very favourable," he said.   
"We are passing the most favourable time compared to that of the last three years," he said.
"Presence of traders from distant places is very high this year compared to that of previous years," he said.  
Showeb Laskar, owner of Prionti Cloth Store at Khan Mansion in Islampur said they have lungi priced at Tk 120-250, sari at Tk 250-500 per piece, kids' wear at Tk 200-500 per set, according to quality.
Md Saiful Islam, owner of Ashirbad Bastraloy, a cloth shop at Baburhat in Narsingdi district, told the FE over cell phone that they were doing brisk business this year.
"We are delivering quality Zakat clothes at competitive prices which are attracting buyers from the distant places," he said.
He said, "Thousands of people are now gathering our outlet to collect Zakat clothes."
Mr Islam said sales of Zakat clothes reached Tk 0.3 million per day in his shop against hardly Tk 0.1 million a day last year.
He informed that Baburhat wholesalers bring clothes from weavers in Pabna, Sirajganj and Narsingdi.
Md Ashiqur Rahman, a cloth trader at Aditmari, Lalmonirhat district, came to Islampur on the day to collect Zakat clothes.
"I got supply orders of lungi and sari from two big parties in my area. One of them made order for two thousand pieces of sari," he said.