A walk through markets in the port city

Shops in Chittagong are abuzz with customers eager to complete their last-minute shopping. Photo: Anurup Kanti Das

Chittagong presents a wide variety of options for shoppers. From fancy malls to makeshift roadside shops, there is always something to look out for here. In the quest for the ultimate bargain, shoppers leave no stone unturned.
Terri Bazar
Terri Bazar is a wholesale market that sells different types of readymade garments. Retail shop owners of different areas in the city and adjoining areas come here to buy goods. According to the Terri Bazar Traders Association, there are about 1,500 shops in the market. People are mostly drawn for the wholesale rates.
Abdul Mannan, general secretary of the market, told The Daily Star that sales started picking up 15 days prior to the start of the holy month of Ramadan. Most people like to buy saris, lungis, shirts, shoes, cosmetics, panjabis and different fabrics, he added.
“Business is better this year than last year even though the prices of goods are a bit higher. Customers are coming to the market in huge numbers,” said Mannan. “Customers are most interested in boutique dresses.”
Tabbassum Ahmed, a university student, said she bought a three-piece dress from Mone Rekho in Terri Bazar with Tk 2,500. She said prices of clothes are high this year, but it is relatively cheap here.
Another customer Rokaya Akhter, a resident of the Bakalia area, said she bought two salwar kameezs for her daughters with Tk 4,000 and Tk 6,000. Salwar kameezs are found within the range of Tk 2,000 to Tk 8,000 at the market.
New Market (Bipani Bitan)
The market caters to the needs of the lower and upper middle class groups. When there were only a few markets in the city, Bipani Bitan was popular among customers. There is still a high presence of customers in this market during Eid-ul-Fitr this year.
Md Morshedul Alam, member of the executive committee of Bipani Bitan Shop Owners Association, said with higher sales this year and the boutique items flourishing, there is good demand for the local clothes brands. The ground floor of the market that displays the local brands is always buzzing with customers.
Rowshan Akter Mim, a resident of Enayetbazar, said she bought two panjabis for her husband and brother from Shailpik at Tk 2,200 and Tk 1,800. She prefers boutique items for the exclusive designs.
She also bought a block-print sari from Pride with Tk 2,200 and a pair of earrings for Tk 280 to complete her look for Eid day.
Readymade garments are quite high in demand as well. Azad Rahman, a senior officer at a buying house, bought a shirt from Cat's Eye at Tk 2,200. He said shirts of local brands are good in quality.
He also observed that prices are high this year. “Every year I buy two shirts. This time I had to be content with one.”
Municipal Jahur Hawkers Market
With about 100 shops, Hawker's market caters mainly to the low income groups of people. But many middle income and well-to-do people also go to the market for their shopping needs.
Even though this was once a market of second-hand imported clothes, it has now become a market of ready made garments.
Ahmed Sarif Munir, general secretary of the Municipality Jahur Hawkers Market Traders Association, said the market is famous as clothes can be bought at low prices.
However, the market did not do that well this year because of rains. “We have no shed against rains. It becomes tough to walk in the area when it rains. Other markets in the city offer different facilities to the customers for ease of shopping. That is why they do not want to come to this market sometimes.”
Akram Hossain, a shopkeeper in the market, hopes the situation will improve in the last week of Ramadan.
Reazuddin Bazar
The market is for all classes of people and is a hub for shopping.
Muhammad Mahabubul Alam, president of Reazuddin Bazar Banik Kolyan Somiti, said the market has 5,500 shops and has won the hearts of customers.
Alam, who is also the owner of Kaderia Benarosi Bhander, said shops in the market are now selling both Indian and local brands of clothes. “Almost two years ago, the market was dominated by Indian brands. But this year, shop keepers are displaying more local cotton saris to lure customers in.”
Masuma Akhter, an officer at an NGO, bought one Tangail sari at Tk 1,500. She said the saris are better in quality and the designs are nice as well.
Akhtaruzzaman Centre
With 230 shops, this market covers everything; from saris and tailors to accessories. The main customers here are from the Agrabad area. Customers here as well are more inclined towards local brands.
Mohammad Rashed, a salesman of Gems Gallery, said this Ramadan, they got huge responses from women customers. His goods are priced above Tk 450 and most in demand this time is the anklet, he added.
Md Humayun Kabir, president of Akhtaruzzaman Centre Shop Owners Association, said though the market is new, it got the faith of the customers through its service.
Singapore Bangkok Market
Once this market was well-known for foreign items but now it sells local clothes brands. Shopkeepers say demand for local saris now is at levels that were seen in the case of Indian saris previously.
Md Nurunnabi, manager of Momtaz Shari Bitan, said they sell Tangail saris priced between Tk 1,200 and Tk 2500 and boutiques items between Tk 1,000 and Tk 2,500.
They have also stocked up on Indian saris that are named after several hit Bollywood movies, which have good demand.
Md Ibrahim Bhuiyan, general secretary of Singapore Bangkok Market Shop Owners Association, said there are 302 shops in this market. The condition of the market is not bad, but it could be better, he added.
Bay Shopping Centre
This market is right next to the Chittagong Export Processing Zone (CEPZ) gate. Workers of CEPZ and people who live in the area are the main customers at this market.
Chandan Sarker, general secretary of Bay Shopping Center, said traders know the financial ability of the customers here and have stocked up accordingly.
However, there are customers who come from the defense and service ports, and so there are goods for them too, he added.
Rita Akhter, a worker of CEPZ, said she brought a block-print outfit worth Tk 700. She said the prices of clothes were high this time and she had to skim through several shops to buy something that was reasonably priced.