Bangladesh is the world’s second largest supplier of clothes to the Western market, but at home, the imported garment products are flooding the shops here in Dhaka and other cities, particularly when shopping spree begins before Eid.
The traditional garments like the women’s sari, salwar kameez and the men’s punjabi are of the greatest attraction during Eid.
Keeping customers’ choices in mind, the shop owners here come up with the garments that are not supplied from the nation’s rich clothing factories but are mostly imported from the countries like India, Pakistan, China and Thailand.
According to the shop owners, 80%-90% demand of garments during Eid are met by the imported products, mostly from India.
The local customers are attracted to the traditional garments coming from India and Pakistan which they think are more sophisticated in designs and fashions than the better quality local products.
While saris, salwar kameez and punjabi are bought from India and Pakistan, most of the T-shirts, jeans and babywear made of synthetics are imported from China and Thailand.
“We mainly depend on imported items,” said Md Sohel, a salesman at a clothing store at Bashundhara City, the biggest posh shopping mall in Dhaka.
The same thing was observed in other major city malls too including Mouchak Market, Gausia Market, New Market, Shezan Point, Eastern Plaza, Rapa Plaza, Pal Well and the Elephant Road’s stores.
“I love colourful designs of Indian salwar kameezes,” said Tama, an excited Eid shopper at Eastern Plaza.
“The local products are better in quality, but less attractive to me,” she added.
Some shops in different malls catering to the demands of teenagers and kids also rely on imported items, especially during Eid.
“Most of the kid and teenagers’ garment items in my shop are made in India and China,” said Ariful Islam, a shop owner at Gausia Market.
The market insiders put stress on skilled workers to produce garments in conformity with the fashions to grab market of the Indian traditional garments.
“We need skilled workforce to revive Bangladeshi industry of traditional garments,” said Ariful Islam, the shop owner at Gausia.
Indian imitation jewelleries are also occupying Bangladesh’s Eid market.
According to the shop owners, the women usually choose to buy the Indian antique-like jewelleries for special occasions rather than the local shiny products.
To meet the customers’ demand, they largely rely on imported imitation jewelleries. They said due to lack of improved technology, Bangladeshi imitation ornaments are beaten by the imported Indian products.
A Dhaka University student Tahmina Akter said she had bought a set of imitation ornaments made in India.
“The set has a colour guarantee and is gorgeous,” said Tahmina Akter while shopping at a city market.
Many of industry people think Indian TV serials have a greater impact on designs and fashions of the traditional dresses.
There are also allegations of rampant smuggling of garments and imitation ornaments from India, depriving the Bangladeshi government of a huge amount of revenues.
In this perspective, the local industry people want to grab the local market by supplying festival dresses with improved fashions and designs.
