Selling old tin sheets: A thriving business in Bhairab

Selling old corrugated tin sheets has turned out to be a profitable business in Bhairab Bazar of Kishoreganj district, where traders earn around Tk30 lakh in three months from February to April.

There are currently 10 shops doing the business at the old corrugated tin selling hub, locally known as 'Tin Patti' in the market. 

Each shop sells the old tin sheets worth around Tk10 lakh to Tk12 lakh per month during the period and generates a profit ranging from Tk50,000 to Tk1,00,000 per month,  according to the traders. 

Ranjan Chowdhury Setu, a trader of old tin sheets in the market, said, "The business is usually good during the Bangla months of Falgun, Chaitra and Boishakh, after which sales decrease." 

Sales of the item, which are in demand all through the year, reach the peak from February to April, as people repair their houses at this time of the year, said traders.

Low-income people mainly from Brahmanbaria and Narsingdi come to Bhairab Bazar to buy sheets of old corrugated tin. 

Traders earn around Tk30 lakh from selling old tin sheets from February to April every year. Photo: Azizul Sonchay

Tenu Mia, a buyer from Brahmanbaria, recently visited the market at the Meghna River bank and said he cannot afford new tin sheets for the repair work in his house. 

Several people, including Tenu Mia, said that they are happy with the price.

Besides, transporting purchased tin sheets is also cheap through waterways, they said.

The prices of new sheets are double the prices of old sheets.

The old corrugated tin sheets are sold at different prices depending on their quality and size. It varies from Tk2,000 to 6,000  per bun (per bun equals 54 kilograms, 60 kg, 65 kg and 90 kg depending on the quality).

The traders of old corrugated tin sheets purchase old houses and rooms made of corrugated tin sheets from different places of Chattogram and Sylhet. 

Traders earn around Tk30 lakh from selling old tin sheets from February to April every year. Photo: Azizul Sonchay

Then they bring the tin sheets to Balur Math of the Bhairab Bazar, where the sheets are repaired for selling in the market. 

It takes around Tk210 for repairing one bun of the tin sheets.

Mostafa Mia from Shamvupur village of Bhairabupazila said he and several other local workers are involved in the repairing work.

"Each worker earns Tk800 to Tk1,000 from it per day," added Mostofa.