Baishakhi sales cheer boutiques, retailers

A customer checks a dress at a shop in Dhaka yesterday. Photo: STAR

Fashion houses and boutiques are abuzz with shoppers who are buying clothes for their near and dear ones to celebrate Pahela Baishakh, the first day of Bangla New Year and the second biggest festival in the country.
With political clouds clearing slowly, clothing retailers have registered 30 percent more sales this time than last year.
“People are now on a buying spree as there is no political unrest,” said Azharul Haque Azad, president of Fashion Entrepreneurs Association of Bangladesh that represents more than 50 leading fashion houses.
Political situation influences people's purchasing sentiment, said Azad, who is also the managing director of Shada Kalo, a leading fashion house.
Several corporate houses have also engaged in promoting sales during Baishakh, which boosted sales.
Last year, clothing sales ahead of the festival were hit hard mainly due to the frequent hartals and political unrest.
At present, the country has around 4,500 fashion houses that sell locally produced attires with a yearly turnover of Tk 6,000 crore, said Azad.
Of the annual sales figure, Pahela Baishakh's clothing sales meet up 25 percent and the month of Ramadan fulfils 50 percent, he said. “We have received a good response so far,” said Biplop Saha, managing partner of Rang, another leading fashion house that has 13 outlets across the country.
An increasing number of customers are buying panjabi, fatua, sari and salwar kamij for the festival, he said, adding that his company's sales grew around 50 percent so far compared to the last year.
Soumik Das, another managing partner of Rang and treasurer at the association, said Pahela Baishakh is a festival for the Bangalis, regardless of religion. Cotton clothes are the most popular ones in this season, he said.
Sales will increase further today, fashion house owners said.
 “A significant portion of sales are generated in the last two days before Pahela Baishakh,” said Sabuj Siddiki, managing partner of Deshal, another fashion house.
Siddiki said they expected higher sales yesterday and also hope to achieve big sales figure today.
Deshal in its nine outlets countrywide received a good response on fatua sales within a price range of Tk 150 and Tk 450, he said.
Traders are also offering discounts and gifts to attract customers.
Clothes' prices are a bit higher this time than last year, said Khalilur Rahman, an employee of Jamuna Bank, who bought a panjabi at Tk 1,200 from Aziz Supper Market in the capital on Friday.