The alleys of Khalifapotti, a hub of tailors in Chittagong, are now pulsating with vigor and energy ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.
The noise of sewing machines echoing through the area of Ghatfarhadbeg sends a message to the adjoining areas about how the tailors are busy in sewing Eid dresses day and night.
Around 6,000 tailors and workers in 550 tailor shops and factories of Kholifapotti are well-known for making finely tuned dresses for people of all ages at a comparatively cheaper rate.
Abu Sayem, owner of one shop in Khalifapotti, said: “Our products are sold from Teknaf to Tetulia. Therefore, everyone is busy ahead of Eid as it is the peak season for us.”
Jahangir Alam, owner of Akhi Fashions, said their products are sold within the range of Tk150-Tk6,000, most of the clients being women and children.
The tailors said both the owners and workers were working from dawn to dusk with a very short break-time every day.
Gafur, who has been running the business for 40 years now in the area, claimed that his workers could sew any dress taking only a glance of the design.
“We are the designers as well as tailors; so price of our products are lower than any other wholesale market in the country,” he said.
The products are mainly sold to the buyers coming from Cox’s Bazar, Rangamati, Khagrachhari, Bandarban, Feni, Noakhali, Laksmipur, Comilla, Brahmanbaria, Sylhet, Dhaka and 14 upazilas under Chittagong district, according to Kholifapotti Bonik Kolyan Samity.
Nurul Islam, former president of the samity and owner of four tailor shops, expressed hope to cut more profit than last year as the number of orders was already on the rise.
A number of prominent shopping malls of the port city collect dresses from the traditional tailors of this locality. The shopping malls include Sanmar Ocean City, UNESCO Tower, Central Plaza, New Market, Moti Tower, VIP Tower, Reaz Uddin Bazar, Singapore-Bangkok Market, Singapore Market, Karnaphuli Market, Munni Plaza, Hawker Market, and Teribazar, according to the samity members.
When asked, Humyun Kabir, general secretary of Kholifapotti Bonik Kolyan Samity, traced back to the history of this area. A man named Ayub Ali Sowdagar came to this area from Begumganj, Noakhali during 1947 and initiated the tailoring business.
“Gradually, the area became known as Kholifapotti. Most of the resident tailors have hailed from greater Noakhali region,” said Humayun.
Most of the businessmen have already placed the orders while the tailors were almost ready to deliver, he said.
However, Saiful Islam, owner of SM Fashions, said due to the rainy weather, the buyers’ presence in the area was still thin.
Mohammad Alauddin, owner of Samia Fashions, said if the situation continued in the same manner, they would have to incur a massive loss, however, he hoped that an increased number of buyers would throng the area from the middle of Ramadan.
On a different note, a number of workers claimed of being underpaid despite working at the popular spot. Particularly the child labourers do not get paid enough despite tiresome efforts, they said.
The owners treat the children workers as apprentices despite they cover half of the total manpower. These children return to their villages with a poor amount at hand before Eid, said a minor worker seeking anonymity.
The owners said they were not patronised by the government or any non-government organisation. “If we get financial or logistic support from any organisation, then we can turn this Kholifapotti into a better industry,” said Humayun Kabir, the general secretary of Kholifapotti Bonik Kolyan Samity.
