Abu Sazzad :
Local footwear industries have made a significant impact on the market by introducing fashionable and comfortable high quality leather shoes ahead of this year’s Eid-ul-Fitr festival.
We have started earning fame by applying our own expertise and design. The people, especially the youths-both boys and girls-now prefer local products to foreign or other multinational companies, said a local manufacturer.
The country is manufacturing different types of shoes, sandals and boots for every people of every age group in line with the standard of reputed brands like multinational company Bata, Adidas and Puma, he said, adding, “Our footwear industries also attach highest priority
to design and comfort of the people.” “We don’t look for foreign shoes now as we get more fashionable and comfortable high quality leather shoes from our local footwear companies,” S Robin Ahmed told this reporter at the showroom of Apex shoe near Jashimuddin crossing in city’s Uttara area.
The local footwear companies see a huge boom in sales ahead of the Eid festival as they are claiming that they are giving the best quality products than the foreign one.
During a visit to different showrooms at New Market, Dhanmondi, Elephant Road, Farm Gate, Mirpur, Banani, Gulshan and Gulistan yesterday, this reporter found huge gathering in front of shoe shops.
Though the home market is being dominated by multinational company Bata and local brand Apex, several other local companies are also doing good business.
The business transaction amounts to about Tk 6,000 crore to Tk 7,000 crore during the Eid festival, according to the source of Bangladesh Finished Leather, Leather Goods and Footwear Exporters Association.
Only 20 per cent people use the brand item while 80 per cent meet their demand from local sources, said Bata Manager at Shah Ali Plaza Habibur Rahman Khan.
“Near about 40 per cent of people are buying new shoes and we are always ready to serve them,” he said.
He said the price range of Bata is between Tk 890 and 11,900. “We hoped that we would be able to sell 40,000 pairs of footwear from our showroom in this festival season”.
Qualities of the local products are very good, said Jeenys Manager Enamul Haque at Mirpur showroom. Footwear is one of the country’s most potential sectors, he said, adding that cheap labour here could attract foreign investment.
Political stability, business-friendly environment and low bank interest rates are essential for both local and foreign investment in this sector, he said. The price range of Jennys shoe is Tk 1,350 to 5,900. Jennys Shoes Ltd has 62 showrooms countrywide. On the occasion of Eid, the company has opened three new showrooms, he informed.
Local brand Apex products have high demand among the youths. Nowadays a number of other companies are producing footwear targeting the local demand, said Apex Manager Zahidul Islam at Mirpur. He said, the price range of Apex is Tk 590 to 12,000.
There is no official statistics about the annual sales of footwear in the local market. However, experts estimate that about 200 million pairs of footwear (shoes, sandals, sponge) are being sold annually. The local market of footwear is worth around Tk 40 billion a year.
Local footwear industries have made a significant impact on the market by introducing fashionable and comfortable high quality leather shoes ahead of this year’s Eid-ul-Fitr festival.
We have started earning fame by applying our own expertise and design. The people, especially the youths-both boys and girls-now prefer local products to foreign or other multinational companies, said a local manufacturer.
The country is manufacturing different types of shoes, sandals and boots for every people of every age group in line with the standard of reputed brands like multinational company Bata, Adidas and Puma, he said, adding, “Our footwear industries also attach highest priority
to design and comfort of the people.” “We don’t look for foreign shoes now as we get more fashionable and comfortable high quality leather shoes from our local footwear companies,” S Robin Ahmed told this reporter at the showroom of Apex shoe near Jashimuddin crossing in city’s Uttara area.
The local footwear companies see a huge boom in sales ahead of the Eid festival as they are claiming that they are giving the best quality products than the foreign one.
During a visit to different showrooms at New Market, Dhanmondi, Elephant Road, Farm Gate, Mirpur, Banani, Gulshan and Gulistan yesterday, this reporter found huge gathering in front of shoe shops.
Though the home market is being dominated by multinational company Bata and local brand Apex, several other local companies are also doing good business.
The business transaction amounts to about Tk 6,000 crore to Tk 7,000 crore during the Eid festival, according to the source of Bangladesh Finished Leather, Leather Goods and Footwear Exporters Association.
Only 20 per cent people use the brand item while 80 per cent meet their demand from local sources, said Bata Manager at Shah Ali Plaza Habibur Rahman Khan.
“Near about 40 per cent of people are buying new shoes and we are always ready to serve them,” he said.
He said the price range of Bata is between Tk 890 and 11,900. “We hoped that we would be able to sell 40,000 pairs of footwear from our showroom in this festival season”.
Qualities of the local products are very good, said Jeenys Manager Enamul Haque at Mirpur showroom. Footwear is one of the country’s most potential sectors, he said, adding that cheap labour here could attract foreign investment.
Political stability, business-friendly environment and low bank interest rates are essential for both local and foreign investment in this sector, he said. The price range of Jennys shoe is Tk 1,350 to 5,900. Jennys Shoes Ltd has 62 showrooms countrywide. On the occasion of Eid, the company has opened three new showrooms, he informed.
Local brand Apex products have high demand among the youths. Nowadays a number of other companies are producing footwear targeting the local demand, said Apex Manager Zahidul Islam at Mirpur. He said, the price range of Apex is Tk 590 to 12,000.
There is no official statistics about the annual sales of footwear in the local market. However, experts estimate that about 200 million pairs of footwear (shoes, sandals, sponge) are being sold annually. The local market of footwear is worth around Tk 40 billion a year.
