Warm clothes traders doing brisk business on biting cold

As the capital and many other parts of the country are in the grip of biting cold, warm clothes traders here are doing a brisk business with the growing demand for winter wears and woolen clothes, reports UNB.

Upper and upper-middle class people are crowding posh markets while middle- and lower-income ones going to different regular markets, makeshift shops and roadside vendors to buy clothes like jackets, coats, sweaters, cardigans, shawls, mufflers, gloves and caps, woolen socks and blankets to shield themselves and their children against the cold.

Besides, different socio-political organistions are buying warm clothes like thin blankets and used sweaters and pullovers to distribute among the poor and destitute.

Traders said warm clothes are in great demand this time as the city-dwellers are experiencing biting cold after three-four years.

Abdul Manna, a meteorologist at the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), said the capital has been experiencing average 11 degrees Celsius temperature over the last one week.

He said the chilling condition in the capital is likely to prevail over three more days as the sun remains almost disappeared during daytime due to fogging condition.

Though winter chill brings cheer to the traders with huge sale, customers are unhappy as they said the warm clothes are being sold at high prices taking advantage of the situation.

However, buyers seem to be little concerned over high prices as they need warm clothes to protect them from the bone-chilling cold.

People, including many women, were seen crowding Bashundhara, Polwell, Bangabazar markets and makeshift shops in the city's Panthapath, Farmgate, Gulistan, Mouchak, Purana Paltan, Motijheel, Fakirapool, New Market, Nilkhet, Jatrabari, Sadarghat, Mirpur, Malibagh, and Rampura areas and Dhaka International Trade Fair at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar to buy warm clothes.

Sajjad Hossain, manager of Kid's Club shop at Polwell market, said their sale has gained momentum over the last one week as the demand for the warm clothes has increased manifold.

"We've a good collection of children's warm clothes, but jackets, sweaters, pullovers and woolen socks are in great demand nowadays. Mainly middle-class people and shopkeepers from different districts are coming to our shop."

Nuruddin Hasan, owner of JK enterprise at the same market, said he is very satisfied over the volume of sale and profit this year. "Jackets and cardigans are now most-sought items while sweaters and shawls, overcoat, and pullovers, are also in good demand."

Abdul Aziz, a student of Siddheswari Degree College, said he bought a jacket from a shop at the market at Tk 2,600. "One friend of mine purchased the same jacket at Tk 2,000 only 15 days back. The traders have pushed up the prices of their items due to the sudden rush of buyers to earn windfall profit."

Al Amin, a staff of thin blanket shop Latu Traders at Bangabazar Market, said the sale of their item has increased greatly.

We're selling around 5,000 pieces of blanket on average every day as many politicians and social workers are buying our items to distribute among the poor."

He said a renowned businessman recently bought 40,000 pieces of blankets from their shop for Rohingya refugees.

Mostafa, a staff of Ayesha Traders at the same market, who sell quality and thick blankets, said they are selling nearly 100 pieces of their items every day. "All of our blankets have been imported from China. We're selling those at different prices from 1,600 to 40,000 and making satisfactory profit."

Tushar, owner of Rafi Garments at Bangabazar Market, said his stock of sweaters, jackets, gloves, woolen hats, mufflers and pullovers have almost run out as he got huge customers over a few days. "We've got a chance to make good profit by selling warm clothes this year after a long time as the capital experienced warmer winter in the last few years."

Dhaka University student Shahrin Alam who bought some warm clothes from a shop at Bashundhara Market, said the prices are higher than previous years as the demand has marked a rise due to the prevailing freezing condition.

Tasmin Sultan who was buying warm clothes for her two baby girls at a makeshift shop near Mouchak Market said the prices of warm clothes at roadside shops are much reasonable than ones at different markets.

As socks, gloves, caps and children's winter wears are in great demand these days, some vegetable and fruit vendors have also started selling those on mobile vans at different parts of the city.