As winter weather sets in, the demand for warm clothing has started to rise in Narayanganj, with both city markets and street stalls seeing a boom in sales.
The streets and rural areas are now covered in fog, signaling the arrival of colder temperatures.
While light fog was observed in urban areas in the morning, it cleared by midday, but the temperature continues to drop, making warm clothes increasingly necessary.
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The cold weather has led to a change in people's clothing preferences, with many starting to wear warm items like sweaters, jackets, gloves, earmuffs, and shawls.
As a result, the sale of winter clothes has picked up, with small traders setting up stalls along roadsides and in markets across the city, including popular areas like Chashara Hawkers Market, Salimullah Road, Bangabandhu Road, and Shayesta Khan Road.
Shops and stalls are now filled with a wide variety of winter clothes for all ages, from children to the elderly. Both new and second-hand clothing is available, with colorful sweaters, jackets, woolen gloves, socks, earmuffs, and more on display.
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Shoppers have been flocking to these markets, especially in the evenings, to buy clothes for themselves and their families.
In Chashara, several shops near the Hawkers Market have already started selling winter clothes.
Shoppers are roaming through the stalls, picking out items they like, while others continue to compare prices and styles at different shops.
Many people are buying clothes for their children, parents, or for themselves. According to the sellers, the evening hours see the highest number of customers.
Vendors said that sales are brisk during the early winter, with the demand for warm clothing growing due to the cool weather.
However, they note that sales typically slow down as winter progresses. The clothes available in these markets are sourced from various local garment factories, as well as from countries like China and the Philippines.
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Some vendors have informed that their stalls are particularly popular due to the affordable prices.
Deep Hossain Fahim, a seller in Chashara, mentioned that velvet T-shirts from China and the Philippines are in high demand, especially among young people. "The sales are good, but we know that towards the end of winter, demand will decrease," he said.
Other sellers, like Md. Saiful Islam, offer a variety of winter items, including sweaters, jackets, and full-sleeve T-shirts made of thick fabric.
Shimu Akhter, who was at a stall with her mother and daughter, said that the colder weather prompted her to buy winter clothes for her child.
"The weather office says it will be colder this year, so I am looking for good winter clothes at affordable prices. The prices here are much lower than in the shopping malls," she added.
Another shopper, Jahangir, shared that he prefers buying local winter clothes as he prepares for cold weather abroad. "I lived in Europe for a long time and prefer buying locally made clothes because they are often cheaper and of good quality," he said.
Other shoppers, like Lata Debnath and Tasmia Akhter, also expressed satisfaction with the variety and prices of winter clothes available at the stalls on the footpath. Many people are choosing to buy from these stalls, finding good deals and a wide selection of items, compared to the higher prices in bigger stores.
Lata Debnath said, "Winter has arrived, and I need to buy warm clothes. I also need to buy clothes for my parents, so I came with my mother to shop."
Overall, the winter clothes market in Narayanganj is thriving as people gear up for the colder months, with both large shops and small street vendors contributing to the rise in sales.