Winter clothing business picks up as cold wraps country

The winterwear business has gained momentum with people flocking to the markets and shops of different brands as the intensity of the cold weather keeps increasing in and around Dhaka city.

Citizens of Dhaka started feeling the winter chills near the end of December. Within a day, the temperature had dropped by more than 3 Degrees with a cold wind blowing from the north.

However, industry people said that this year’s business is still a little bit slow compared to last year, mostly because customers are trying to avoid spending extra money amid the ongoing economic downturn. The significant increase in prices of winterwear has also played a role.

During visits to Bashundhara City Shopping Mall and Jamuna Future Park recently, this correspondent found people increasingly thronging the brand shops to buy different types of winter clothing.

Sayma Ahmed, who works at a private company near Jamuna Future Park, said she was not considering doing any winter shopping this year as she is financially struggling due to the rising inflation. “But the weather has gotten very cold in the last few days.

“That’s why I came to buy some warm clothing from two of my children and my mother-in-law. My husband and I will just use the ones we got last year,” she added.

According to businesses, the demand for jackets, blazers, coats, hoodies, hats, scarves, sweaters, full-sleeved t-shirts and shawls among both men and women is high this year as per usual.

Elias Ahamed, the MBRELLA branch manager at Bashundhara City, said the winter sale has picked up the pace but is still slow compared to last year. “The drop in mercury has fuelled the demand for winter clothes among locals. We are selling jackets and blazers the most.”

Md Ataharul Islam Khan, the branch manager of Top Ten Mart at Jamuna Future Park, echoed his remarks and added that the demand has also risen as many people are now travelling abroad and going on trips around the country on winter vacation.

To boost sales further, traders and major brands are already offering different amounts of discounts, as high as 50 per cent, and the move is working, according to many salespersons.

Rahat Bin Tomal, the counter in-charge of the Nabarupa branch at Jamuna Future Park, said, “The business is better outside Dhaka city because the cold in those areas is higher than in the capital.

“However, we are offering a 40 per cent discount on different winter clothing. This has already proved effective on our overall sales. Our sales have doubled after we introduced the discount.”

Along with Dhaka, the winter chill is sweeping all over the country with the temperature drop accompanied by dense fog. The Met Office has also forecast a cold spell for the second week of January.