The declining trend in the mercury level has resulted in heightening the prices of the winter clothing adding to the sufferings of people belonging to the lower income group. Sources at the met office said the mercury level has been registering declining trends over the last few days, as the winter chill is about to set in. After the recent depression on the Bay, the cold wave is intensifying further, the met official sources said, adding that the cold wave would become stronger within the next few days when the northern wave would flow in full swing. The met officials said the temperature has been declining by 1-2 Degree Celsius on an average per day, which forecasts further wintry chill across the country. The officials said though the temperature seems warmer during the day, the nocturnal temperature drops significantly. On the other hand, the sale of the winter clothing has been gaining momentum at different stores in the city with the increase in the chill, traders said. "The sale of the warm clothes is gaining momentum at the wholesale markets of city's Banga Bazar, one of the biggest cloth markets of the country," said MA Malek of a wholesale cloth store while talking to the FE. When asked, he said, prices of the warm clothes depend on the intensification of cold. If the cold wave sets in heavily, the prices of such clothes will also go up automatically, he added. "I think the prices of the winter clothing are still at tolerable levels as the cold wave is yet to take its toll," he said. Iqbal Hossain, manager of a garment store, said a customer can buy a standard sweater between Tk 250 and Tk 300, but the same will be sold at Tk 400 per piece with the increase of wintry chill. He said many garment owners have stockpiled their products to make brisk profits when the cold wave will be stronger across the country. "Further price hike of the warm clothes will add further woes for the consumers as we are fighting with the galloping commodity prices at present," said Faruqul Islam, a mid-level government official while talking to the FE. The price hike of warm clothes before the Eid festival will bring further sufferings to the lower and middle income group people, he said. The sale of warm clothes at the city's posh stores is yet to get momentum, shoppers said. "The customers are still in a window-shopping mood," said a shopper at the city's Polwel Super Market.
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