With the arrival of a cold wave, sale of winter clothes, including second-hand ones, has reached at its peak at different markets in the port city over the last couple of days.
Shopkeepers said sales of winter clothes were increased from mid-November to mid-January every year, but this year, they had to incur huge loss initially as they could not sell warm clothes for lack of customers.
They said warm clothes at most of the shops and wholesale depots had remained stockpiled till December 24 as they could not even open their shops for more than once in a week because of the ongoing political turmoil.
Visiting different city markets yesterday, this correspondent found that most of the warm clothes outlets are crowed with customers.
“I have come here to buy sweaters and blankets for my family members as winter has already appeared in full gear,” said Omar Faruk, chairman of a private company, who was shopping at the city’s Sanmar Ocean City Shopping Mall yesterday.
Fatema Tuz Zohora, a resident of Baluchhara area in the city, found it difficult to choose warm clothes for her daughter as Zahur Hawkers’ Market was jam packed with buyers.
Warm clothes buyers are pouring into the market for the chilling weather, said Jahangir Hossain, owner of Famous Tailors in the market. He sells blazers at his shop. “A blazer costs around Tk 2,500 to Tk5,000” he said.
With the increasing number of buyers, shopkeepers are charging extra for warm clothes, said Nurul Alam Jewel, adding: “I am a regular customer of this market. The prices were much lower a month ago when I last visited the market.”
Abdul Majid, a trader, said they raised the prices to cover up the losses they had incurred during hartals and blockades.
Hawkers mainly choose footpaths in the New Market area, Kazir Dewry, Station Road and Agrabad area for selling warm clothes when some makeshift shops have also mushroomed on the footpaths in Chawk Bazar, GEC intersection, Dewanhat, CEPZ intersection and Jamal Khan area.
People from low-income groups crowd roadside shops to buy warm clothes for them.
Azizur Rahman, a hawker in GEC intersection area, said he had invested Tk5 lakh for this winter season.
“I usually make a profit of Tk one lakh during the winter season, however, this year I may not meet my target because of the political unrest,” he added.
Well-off buyers rush to New Market, Sanmar Ocean City, Mimi Super Market, Afmi Plaza, Aktaruzzaman Centre, Amin Centre, Chittagong Shopping Complex, Reaz Uddin Bazar and Tamakumundi Lane.
Buyers are found in plenty at the showrooms of some branded fashion houses in these markets.
