Begum Bazar: The capital of old clothes

It is 10 minutes past 5am. While most of the residents of Dhaka are deep in slumber, a bustling market for old clothes has sprung to life in a small lane. Despite the absence of activity elsewhere at this early hour, individuals are gradually arriving and congregating at Begum Bazar's Becharam Dewri market to buy and sell clothes. 

Along both sides of the road, hundreds of shops offering old clothes have been erected, keeping the shopkeepers exceedingly busy. Many people are in a rush, buying clothes from street vendors and organising their purchases.

In this bustling market, buyers are packing up clothes – some making retail purchases and others buying wholesale. 

The market doesn't just offer clothes; you can find sheets, curtains, shoes and more. Some buy just a piece or two for personal use, while others load up vans to sell to street vendors. 

Even at this early hour, the market exudes a lively atmosphere. If you observe the throngs of people, it feels more like a busy afternoon than the early morning. This market, located in Becharam Dewri, is affectionately known as the  "capital of old clothes" to its loyal shoppers.

Buy a shirt for Tk5, a pair of pants for Tk10 and a shari for Tk30

In the current market, where the prices of everything have skyrocketed and people are agonising over expenses, acquiring new clothes is a luxury for lower-income people. So, for many, Begum Bazar is a blessing. People can purchase a shirt for Tk5, a pair of jeans pants for Tk10, shari for Tk30 and lungis for Tk20 from here. 

Heaps of clothes in Begum Bazar. Photo: Asma Sultana Prova

Amin Hossain, a rickshaw puller who came to shop in this market, said, "with a meagre daily income, when it has become very difficult to eat well for three meals, we can't even think about clothes! So we buy clothes within our means in this market. If you buy a shirt from here, you can wear it for a long time."

Razia Akhtar, a 44-year-old, purchased two bedsheets for Tk60, a fraction of the Tk250 required to buy a single bedsheet in the market. She often buys curtains, sheets and duvet covers from this market.

As the cost of living continues to rise, many people can't afford new clothes, making this market a trusted resource for them. Sellers note that they're no longer just selling wholesale. There's a significant increase in retail clothing buyers.

Where do the clothes come from?

If you're curious about how these old clothes find their way to the market, Humayan, a seasoned seller with 30 years of experience in the business, explains that street vendors sell utensils in exchange for clothes from households. Then they sell those clothes at this market.

For a decade, Md. Manik has been collecting clothes in exchange for utensils. When asked about this practice, Manik said, "many people prefer obtaining utensils in exchange for old clothes rather than purchasing them with money. This trend is prevalent in most Dhaka households, allowing us to accumulate a significant volume of clothing daily."

The clothes collected by these street vendors in exchange for household utensils find their way to Begum Bazar's market. Market vendors purchase these clothes, paying between Tk2 and Tk10 per kilogram.

Spare parts of blenders in Begum Bazar. Photo: Asma Sultana Prova

Housewife Tuhin Akhtar remarked, "we often discard or store old clothes that occupy space and clutter the house. When street vendors take them, it's a relief for us."

However, many, like Tuhin Akhtar, remain unaware of the ultimate fate of these old clothes, only knowing they serve some purpose. 

Shopping commences early in the morning

One notable aspect of this market is that it doesn't remain open all day, unlike other markets. Market activities kick off in the early hours. 

When asked why they operate at this early hour, seller Zahid explained, "this road in Begum Bazar is only quiet in the morning, making it convenient to work without traffic. The road is so narrow that even a single car can obstruct the entire passage, prompting vendors to start early."

Another seller, Humayun, added that the market opens early in the morning so that the utensil vendors can sell the clothes they collected the day before and continue to work throughout the day, maintaining the cycle of collecting and selling old clothes.

When did the market originate?

There is some discrepancy among sellers regarding the market's inception date. Nobody can pinpoint the exact start date. Some claim the market has been operating for over 40 years, while others estimate its age at 60-70.

Humayun, who has been in the business for 30 years, mentioned, "I've been working here for three decades, and the market predates my involvement. It must be around 70-80 years old."

According to many shopkeepers with long-standing experience, the market was launched by some individuals from Bikrampur around 1975. Nevertheless, there are claims that the market might have started even earlier.

Who are the buyers?

There are many buyers for these old clothes, ranging from big factory owners to university students, rickshaw pullers, hawkers, etc. Those seeking quality items at affordable prices flock to this market, where many old clothes appear almost new and are highly sought after.

In this market, there are two types of buyers – retail and wholesale. Retail buyers search for quality clothes at low prices, while wholesale buyers purchase clothes by the sack.

University students are also avid consumers of these clothes. Many students need curtains and bedsheets when they move into a new residence, and they turn to this market for budget-friendly options. 

Rakib Hasan, a university student, shared, "when I needed curtains after moving into a sublet apartment, I purchased two window curtains from this market for just Tk30."

Seller Jahangir noted, "Some buyers acquire these clothes from us, launder them and then resell them to others at higher prices."

How much do these clothes cost?

Small heaps of old jeans, shirts, lungis, sharis, blankets, bedcovers, bags and children's clothing are displayed in front of every shop. 

The price range for clothes in this market starts at Tk2 and goes up to Tk50, Tk100 or tk250, depending on the quality of the fabric. They classify old clothes into three categories – lower quality, better quality and high quality. 

Clothing with minor tears is sold for Tk2-10 per kg, medium-quality fabric ranges from Tk20-50 and premium fabric is priced between Tk100-250. Sharis are available from Tk20-150, blankets from Tk20-100, shirts from Tk5-100, salwar kameez from Tk3-50, lungis from Tk10-50, jeans from Tk10-100 and winter wear up to Tk50-300.

According to vendors, there are approximately 200-250 shops in this market, with sellers earning Tk9,000-10,000 daily from their shops. 

Abul Hasan (a pseudonym), a seller in this market, said, "many people have built their homes with the earnings from this market. It is almost impossible to suffer losses in this business. Sellers often resell these items at double the price they paid."

Greater profits with torn clothes

Even unwearable clothes, instead of being discarded, hold value in this market. Nothing is truly old here – discarded items gain new worth. 

Completely tattered, unwearable fabrics are highly sought after by factory owners. These fabrics, beyond cleaning and refurbishing, are repurposed to make gloves for factory workers.

Printing presses, auto painting workshops and furniture manufacturing factories source substantial quantities of cloth from this market in Begum Bazar. The most worn-out clothes are at the top of their shopping list.

Sellers purchase unusable, torn clothes from hawkers at a low price, and their profits rise when they resell these clothes at wholesale rates. Jahangir, a seller, explained, "if we buy these torn clothes from hawkers for Tk1-2 per kg, we can sell them to company personnel for Tk5-10 taka per kg. This approach yields more profit with lower cost."

This cloth is distributed across the country from Begum Bazar

Old clothes from Begum Bazar reach various locations in Dhaka, as well as Chittagong, Khagrachari, Rangpur, Barisal, Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Sylhet, Habiganj, Chapainawabganj, Khulna and many other places. 

Wholesale buyers purchase sacks full of these clothes, with some planning to clean and resell them at higher prices. For example, if a buyer acquires a T-shirt for Tk10, they may sell it for Tk50-60.

Furthermore, many other old clothes shops in Dhaka acquire clothes from Begum Bazar, as nearly all the shops source their inventory here. Several individuals who transport clothes in vans buy them in bulk and resell them at higher prices.

In the current market, where the cost of living and price of essentials is soaring, buying clothes at such affordable prices provides a glimmer of hope for lower-income individuals. According to Haroon, a labourer, this market allows people to fulfil their needs within their budget.