Winter cloth sale rises on Lalmonirhat footpaths

The onset of winter has brought a sharp rise in the sale of winter clothes on the footpaths of Lalmonirhat, with people from all walks of life flocking to buy seasonal garments.

With the arrival of chilly weather towards the end of the Bengali month of Agrahayan, the demand for winter clothing has surged in both shopping malls and temporary street shops, particularly in Kaliganj upazila of the district.

Low-income groups were seen crowding Tushvandar Hawkers' Market in Kaliganj, where a wide variety of affordable winter apparel, including sweaters, coats, blazers, mufflers and more were on display.

During a recent visit to the market, this correspondent observed a bustling scene with hawkers calling out to attract customers. The market offered winter clothing for people of all ages, including Sweaters for women: Tk 200–400; men's jackets: Tk 300–500; children's clothes: Tk 50–400; mufflers: Tk 40–150; warm caps: Tk 50–100; blankets: Tk 200–500.

Despite the variety of items, vendors said their sales had been slow initially. But with the chilling cold intensifying over the past few days, customer turnout has surged significantly.

Children's winter clothes were reported to be the most sought-after items, followed by jackets, sweaters and blankets.

Mariam Akter, a housewife shopping at the market, shared her experience, saying, "The cold has intensified from evening till dawn, so I am buying winter clothes for my children. But the prices are slightly high compared to the quality."

Meanwhile, Rajarhat Weather Observatory Office has predicted colder days ahead.

Subol Chandra Sarkar, acting officer of the observatory, said, "In Bangladesh, cold weather is usually felt in December and January. As the days go by, the temperature will naturally decrease, and the cold may become more noticeable after December 15."

With the weather expected to grow colder, both customers and vendors are preparing for an even busier season in the coming weeks.