The sales of warm clothes have perked up at shopping malls and roadside shops in the capital, with mercury falling gradually across the country.
A spot visit to different shops on Friday found traders put on display winter clothes like pullover, blazer, blanket and shawl in all styles, types and sizes.
According to sellers, business at shopping centres like Badruddoza Market, New Market and Mouchak has gone up this week for customers buying winter attire.
Shopper turnout will increase next week, they hoped.
Prices vary for a sweater from Tk 400-1,000, for a blazer from Tk 2,000-3,500 and a blanket Tk 1,500-5,000 at different shopping centres.
Anwar Hossain, a salesman of Pritom Collection at Badruddoza Market, said they have a stunning new winter collection to attract customers.
Pritom primarily sells imported pullover, cardigan and trousers of different prices.
"Like previous years, our business is brisk," Mr Hossain added.
He sells women's cardigan at Tk 2500 each on average.
Taher Ali, a roadside shop owner outside Dhaka New Market, sells second-hand wear at Tk 200-300 each.
The man said his products are not brand new, but they are faultless. So, the prices are a little bit high.
"I sell 30 items on average per day. But sales increase on weekends," Mr Ali added.
Monju Mia, a trader in front of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, is selling fixed-priced used winter clothing at Tk 50 each.
"There is no option for bargaining at my shop," he said categorically.
"Price is low because the quality of my products is not so good," Mr Mia told the FE.
But people on low incomes like day labourers, rickshaw- pullers and others prefer such wear considering their budget, he informed.
However, a section of warm clothes sellers expressed a mixed reaction as their sales are yet to pick up.
"Customers come to visit only, they don't purchase," said Mujibor Rahman who runs a shop at Polwell Supermarket.
They have not got the potential buyers for the past three years as winter season is getting shorter.
Besides, competition among traders has amplified over the years because of the increasing number of new shopping malls, he observed.
Customers, however, said the prices of new warm clothes are exorbitant this year and the sellers are showing the excuse of higher import costs for such prices.
Ayesha Khanam, a buyer, said the prices are higher than last year's.
"Traders are charging high prices, showing the excuse of a price hike at wholesale markets," she added.
