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RANGPUR, Dec 24: Sale of warm clothes has gained momentum in the district and its adjacent areas as mercury has plummeted across the region with the wintry chill intensifying over the last few days.
The traders of warm clothes have been doing brisk business at makeshift footpath shops as well as the city's big shopping malls in the district as winter has arrived early in the northern region this year.
Generally, winter arrives in the region in the last week of November or early December but this year, the people of the district have begun to feel the intensity of cold since the first week of November.
The makeshift shops have mushroomed on the footpath at Surovi Udyan gate area near Rangpur Girls' High School, Payra Chattar area, station area, Lalbag and CO Bazar area.
The sale of warm clothes at cities Salek Market, Jamal Market, Jahaz Company Shopping Complex, Super Market, Zilla Parishad Market, City Plaza, Betpatti Market, Moti Plaza is also gaining pace.
People from the low and fixed income groups are crowding footpath shop to buy second-hand warm clothes such as wrapper, woolen sweater, blanket, coat and cardigan.
Prices of the warm clothes are varied according to quality the shoppers said prices of warm clothes are higher this year compared to that of previous years.
Saiful, owner of a shop at the makeshift market told the correspondent that he sells satisfactory quantities of second-hand warm clothes everyday. Demand for the clothes is higher than the new ones.
Day-labourers, rickshaw-pullers and other low-income groups crowd the makeshift market every day.
Our correspondent from Jhenidah adds: Traders of both new and old winter wears have started to witness large sales in the district as mercury has dipped.
People from all walks of life have started thronging warm clothes shops to collect winter clothes for protection from the bite of winter.
Most of the people of low and middle income group are gathering at the roadside makeshift shops to get warm clothes of their choice at lower prices.
Though the prices of winter clothes are higher this year, according to the customers, the price of old clothes are comparatively low.
Many customers waiting for new winter designs and fresh arrivals, are now are demanding warm clothes, said proprietor of Shahin Garments at the Post Office intersection.
Atiar Rahman has been in old clothes business for around thirty years in Jhenidah town. He said, as in the past, with the advent of winter the demand for warm clothes saw a sudden rise here in Jhenidah.
But climate change has affected the winter cloth business significantly as intensity of cold is felt late, giving them the opportunity for two months only to sell warm clothes.
Some customers said that traders are taking the opportunity of sudden cold weather and charging abnormally higher prices of winter wears.
However, shopkeepers said that this year prices at wholesale markets in Dhaka and Chattogram are higher than last year.
After the low pressure in the Bay of Bengal last week, winter arrived here with more vigour, coupled with cold breeze blowing across the district.
Many men and women including children have already been affected by cold-related diseases like cold, fever, dysentery and asthma.
However, now people have become cautious against the cold and are trying to keep themselves warm.
Both new and old clothes shops and garments across six upazila and the district towns have started becoming crowded by people searching for warm clothes for their family members.