Shop Special

Wallet-friendly winter wear

With the heat of the summer sun long gone, and the weather turning cooler, it's time to turn up the temperature of your wardrobe. Winter fashion takes a turn. With thin and bright materials set aside into the storerooms and closets for months, it is prime time to hit the markets for the latest in winter wear. Time for those sweaters, jackets and jeans. Here's the rub…you rush off to the nearest boutique or shopping mall to stock up on the season's coolest trends, and your wallet receives a shock. A pair of jeans might cost you anything between Tk 450 to 2400. While it's nice to splurge on something fancy once in a while, if you're planning to update your entire wardrobe, robbing a bank seems to be the only sane solution, right? Wrong. What you can do, is take yourself off to one of three places we'll be mentioning, and get yourself some fab buys at unbelievable prices.

When one thinks of local products of export quality, the first market to come into the limelight is definitely Banga Bazar. With bargain prices and a wide array of shops, this market definitely gives the word 'sale' a new meaning. Winter products at Banga Bazar are now abundant at the small shops the market comprises of. A visit to Banga Bazar can definitely be a bit tiresome at times, but it all pays off.

Jackets and 'windbreakers' are immensely popular during this season at the market. The prices are pretty cheap compared to other stores at large city markets, however in order to get good products you do have to really look out for flaws or defects. The same goes for most of the products at Banga. Make sure that you check every inch of the product you wish to buy. Apart from jackets, the market is always famous for trousers and shirts, which are available throughout the year. Nonetheless, the full sleeved shirts are the most popular in winter. Shirts are priced between Tk.100 to Tk.250 depending on quality and colour, however, these are export quality products. Local quality is much cheaper. T-shirts are available throughout the year and at great prices, but one has to really scurry the market in order to obtain a desirable one. Bargaining and haggling with prices is a necessity in Banga Bazar, as most of the shopkeepers ask for exorbitant prices, trying to make a much larger profit.

Banga Bazar is famous for its cheap buys and the wide choice it offers to its customers. You can literally get everything from saris to socks to underwear, all in one area. The popularity of the market has increased over the years, with more people from different parts of the city finding out about it. It has been pretty popular amongst foreigners mostly because of its reference in most guidebooks of the city.

The second floor at New Market is one of the best places to buy trousers anytime of the year. With many shops selling jeans and formal trousers, prices are cut due to competition. The market is mostly comprised of men's wear, however there are shirts and T-shirts, as well as trousers for women too. From bathrobes to jackets, and nighties to dress materials, this market seems to have it all. However, T-shirts for men are abundant in most of the stores, one just has to have a small tour of the market before actually purchasing anything. Almost all T-shirts cost between Tk.45 to 60. Jeans are the main attraction, with prices starting from Tk.100 to Tk.250, depending on how good one can bargain and of course the quality. Again, remember to scrutinise all the products carefully. Take a walk down into New Market if you are looking for those Eskimo style winter hats. There are about seven to eight shops in New Markets, which sell both baseball caps as well as those winter caps. They can come in quite handy during winter. Those who frequent places like Banga Bazar will notice that the second floor of New Market does not have the wide variety that Banga Bazar offers. However, it has an edge over the Banga Bazar in the sense that the shops are less crammed together, so the shopping experience is slightly more enjoyable. Also, on the way up there, if you make a quick stop at the first floor, you will find buttons, lace, sequins, and all other sewing materials at good prices.

Great deals on western wear. Ask any student about it, and the reply is bound to be "College Street". Located right opposite the Dhaka College, this collection of shops gives you some of the best bargains on clothes and accessories. First-timers be warned…when we say bargains, we mean Bargains…
you have to be prepared to haggle, because the shopkeepers will definitely try to fleece you. However, if you're confident about your negotiation skills, you can walk away with some unbelievable deals. Shirts and tops are available for anything between Tk 35 150. They come in a variety of styles: half-sleeves, quarter-sleeves, T-shirts and tank tops…
you name it, they've got it. Jeans are also available between Tk120-300, in all cuts and styles: flares, bootlegs, capris, cargoes…embroidered, sequinned, and stone washed. Why fly all the way to Bangkok when you have it all here? With the winter season coming in, you'll find a lot of jackets, sweaters, cardigans and jerseys, socks and gloves. College Street may be even more cramped than Banga Bazar but it definitely offers better quality. You are less likely to be stuck with flawed products here than in the other two places.

Visiting all three of these markets shall definitely give you quite a large collection for this winter and probably some for even next year. Even skipping through these places would definitely make one end up with quite a shop-load. With all this in mind make this winter season a fashionable one.

By Sabrina F Ahmad and Mishel Ali Khan

Pool player's edge
Sweaty hands can be a little problematic for pool players because it makes it difficult for the cue to slide smoothly. The remedy is in specially made pool gloves that look a lot like the ones Michael Jackson wears. The glove covers the thumb, index and middle fingers and is made of a silky synthetic material. You get it for one hand only and can be turned inside out to wear on the left or right hand. The price is 250-500 taka at most sporting goods stores. If you are no good at pool, you can wear these gloves anyway, and become the next king of pop.

CD bags
Audio CDs are so annoying to keep in cars. They slide all over the place, and get in the way, cramping you style when you're trying a little Dhakaite-style racing. A CD bag takes care of your problem by putting all your discs in one location. That way you have just one big bag sliding all over the place now. The bags can hold 12, 24, 64 or 96 discs. Prices range from 80 to 300 taka and are available at most music stores in places like Rifles Square and Eastern Plaza.

Light up your…car
A serious car customiser details every single part of the car including the underside. Neon strips are available for just this purpose to create a glow on the ground just below. These are encased in a rubber so that stone chips do not shatter the glass when you place it on the underside. It comes in blue, green, red and yellow. You can also install it inside the car or even in your home, making the necessary adapter changes. The price is 900 taka for a strip that is roughly one foot in length.

Lip care
Winter is supposedly here seeing how the men are always out wearing leather jackets in the middle of the day. The dry winter weather can play havoc on the lips making it all brittle and cracked like a pineapple and just as painful. Carry a little stick or tube of petroleum jelly for just such cases. The price range is from 10-50 taka and they are available at all general stores. It is convenient for men who can easily carry it in the pocket.

Replacing TV remotes
TV remotes are one of the most abused instruments at home. They get soaked, dropped and thrown. Sometimes it is put under a lot of pressure when someone sits on it. After a while you find yourself pressing buttons in frustration to change the Baywatch channel when someone walks into the room. You contort yourself into unimaginable positions while flapping your hand just to send the signal to the television. In the end you get up to make adjustments manually. To prevent such unnecessary exercise you can get replaceable TV remotes that work with any brand for 160-200 taka at most electronics shops.

By Ehsanur Raza Ronny

 

 

Essentials

Victory day back again
The day is back again and we are all of a sudden busy with flower bouquets and garlands. Political leaders busy visiting the monuments. It is only for making an impression. However when it comes to fulfilling the dreams of the martyrs we are actually in ruin. We tend to forget what we have sworn. This year let us not cite the same example. Let us try to fulfil what we have pledged. A special victory day salute from the LS team to all the martyrs who gave their life dreaming for a better Bangladesh.

Ensure arrest not killing
Recent killing of 27 robbers in Noakhali only in two days has raised eyebrows of many people. They were criminals and obviously deserved legal punishment. However, the occurrence of this type of incident in the presence of local MP and DC is a complete disgrace. As the newspaper reports says, police forces conducted a special drive against the robbers, which inspired the villagers. It is disappointing that the law enforcers failed to ensure arrest of criminals. They should have been more cautious when the first incident on 7th December took place.

About pneumonia
Recent death toll caused by pneumonia is very alarming and the figure is rising everyday. Pneumonia is very common among children and the latest cases of death by pneumonia only prove it right. Here is some general knowledge about pneumonia. Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs caused by a bacterial, viral, or fungal infection. General symptoms of pneumonia includes shortness of breath, high fever, chills with shaking, chest pain, cough with mucus, with some additional symptoms such as clammy skin or excessive sweating, headache, loss of appetite, nasal flaring etc. To avoid being affected by any one of these, take extra care of your kids this winter. If they do get affected and the signs continue for more than several days then visit the doctor immediately.

Going back to the nature
Using toxic chemicals as pesticides may increase production but in the long run it is causing havoc for the people. It is like slow poisoning. Recent studies show that our bodies are now contaminated with more than 300 man-made chemicals. We are all carrying chemicals in our bodies that were not in the bodies of our forefathers. Many of these chemicals have been linked with serious illness. Caution should be taken immediately about this. We should be a little more conscious about the things we are eating everyday. Revival of the natural method may be the only way out of this disaster that we have created.

By Shahnaz Parveen