Winter Business Boosts.
Not only during festivals like Eid, Puja and Pahela Baishakh, business in different sectors is also heating up in winter. From warm clothes and blankets to cosmetics, the sales of various products go up. Trade in different sectors including agriculture and tourism goes up. Pitha-puli arrangements are held from house to house. Therefore, business related to this also becomes booming. Besides, a number of social and cultural programs are organized in winter, too. A lot of related businesses increase, therefore. All the traders concerning these sectors begin to make extra preparations against capturing the market of winter this time, too, without any exception.
The intensity of winter increased in the last few days. Retailers said the demand for winter clothes and blankets increased several times in the market. According to them, though the desired buyers were not seen in December, sales have been increasing every day since the beginning of this month.
In the last couple of days, the crowd of buyers has increased manifold at the blanket shops next to Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in the capital. Seller Md. Shahjahan said, “This time the sale started very late. Even though it is late, the sale has increased a lot now. We are getting buyers all day long. Domestic and Chinese blankets are available within budget. These have a high demand. I hope the rest of the winter will also go well in business. He also said he has invested more by taking loans focusing on the winter business.
Md. Sirajul Islam, owner of Amena Hasan Garments, a blanket wholesaler at Dhaka Trade Center, one of the largest wholesale markets in Gulistan, said that sales have also increased in wholesale. Domestic and Chinese blankets, due to low prices, are sold more. Domestic blankets are sold in wholesale at 110 to 250 taka per piece. And among foreigners, Chinese blankets are available at various prices from 430 taka per piece, and Indian blankets are available at 1500 to 2500 taka. Moreover, the price of the blankets imported from Korea and other countries is 6000-7000 taka.
With the arrival of winter, vegetables of all types rule the roost in the raw market. Every godown and retail shop is filled with the supply of winter vegetables. Therefore, there is a big trade every year at this time from farmers to retailers. As the supply increases, the prices come down. Hence, buyers also tend to prefer vegetables.
Balram Chandra, a businessman from M/s. Ma Enterprise, a vegetable trader of Karwan Bazar in the capital, says, “For us who trade vegetables, winter is the big business season. We have extra investment during this time. There are now vegetable fairs in local markets. A piece of cauliflower weighing one to one and a half kilograms is being bought for 10 taka, turnips for 12 taka, and a kilogram of green chili for 30 taka. The number of vegetable trucks in Karwan Bazar has increased.
It also organizes pitha-puli gatherings from house to house in winter. This also raises the sales graph of necessary supplies and equipment for making pitha. Md. Imran Mir, a businessman from Sumi Enterprise, a retail company of these products in Karwan Bazar, said, “No matter how much sales there are throughout the year, the sale of various types of jaggery, coconut, marmalade, and pitha-making materials increases a lot in winter.” The seller said that the sales of these products have now doubled compared to the normal time.
With no storms and rains in winter, the end of annual school exams, various socio-cultural events including weddings have increased. This has increased the business of decorators, musical instruments, lighting, and many other things necessary for celebrating events.
Tourism is also booming in winter. The tourist centers and hotels and resorts of the country are sprinkled with tourists. Stakeholders of the sector said that in recent times, the number of visitors to different tourist spots in the country has gone up. Along with this, the bookings of hotels and resorts have also gone up.
Chairman of Arunima Resort Golf Club and founding president of the Tourism Resort Industries Association of Bangladesh Khabir Uddin Ahmed said, “There is pressure due to tourists in winter. There are different types of offers and discounts to attract them. In this winter also, the pressure of the tourists has gone upwards. The resorts have almost 100 percent booking on Friday and Saturday holidays. However, for the remaining days, the bookings are relatively low compared to the usual times. Many, because of economic pressure, are cutting down on tourism expenses.
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