A glimpse into a clothing hub

A misconception exists about Baburhat; many believe that the place is a manufacturing hub of saris, lungis, bed sheets, napkins and three-pieces.
Baburhat is a place successful for marketing clothing items. A majority of the products are sourced from different corners of the country.
Wholesalers in the market pay weavers from different districts in advance to stock the items. The weavers then make the items according to the work orders and designs, and make deliveries at the market.
Businessmen at this market bring clothing items mainly from Pabna, Sirajganj, Rajshahi, Barisal, Joypara and Dohar of Dhaka and nearby mills in Narsingdi.
The weavers of Sonargaon, Mirpur and Demra supply jamdani saris to Baburhat. Weavers of Baburhat and nearby areas also supply clothes for sale to the market, but not to a great extent.
Nitai Debnath, a manager of Amar Lungi, says Baburhat started its journey with local fabrics almost 80-years ago, but gradually, the market turned into a large trading hub. He says some retail markets have also been formed nearby.
Mosharraf Hossain, general secretary to Baburhat Bazaar Banik Samity, also agreed that many people have a wrong impression about Baburhat.
“For example, a major portion of napkins (gamchha) comes from Barisal. Many people will not believe that napkins come from Barisal, whereas Narsingdi is considered as one of the major clothing hubs in Bangladesh for the item.”
He said prior to Eid-ul-Fitr, items worth at least Tk 300 crore are transacted during the market days on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
“The Baburhat committee pays Tk 25 lakh as fees for lease a year, except value added taxes (VAT),” he says.
The shop owners contribute to generate the fee amount, he says. As a result, the sellers and buyers do not need to pay any taxes here like in other markets, he adds.
He complained that the local government is not improving infrastructure at the market although it is probably the largest market for saris and lungis in Bangladesh.
The market is expanding as more and more traders are setting up new shops, he says.
“Now a scarcity of land is a problem for us as the market is expanding. Not only is the clothing business expanding, but other setups, like restaurants, kitchens, accessories and real-estate, also increasing nearby Baburhat,” he says.
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