Quality shoes at an affordable price

Shahedul Azam was seen roaming in the footpaths of Chattogram's  Agrabad Commercial Area to buy loafers over the weekend.

After walking for a few minutes, he came to a place where at least hundred traders have set up makeshift shoe stalls on both sides of the footpath, selling shoes at an affordable rate.

Although the shoe hub has left little to no room for pedestrians to walk, no one seemed to be bothered by it.  Most were seen stopping to see the shoes on display, trying on a few slippers and  bargaining with the hawkers.

Shahedul, a private job holder, came to know about the shoe hub from a friend. He went from one stall to another to make sure he gets the best deal. Finally, he stopped in front of a stall, selected a pair of formal shoes and asked for their price.

The trader initially demanded Tk 2,500, but later the shoes were sold for Tk 1,700 after much negotiation.

Shahedul said, "I've never bought shoes from here before, but some of my friends said quality shoes are available here at a cheaper rate."

Echoing the same, Tapash Mallick, a schoolteacher, said, "I've been buying shoes from here for almost 10 years."

"As a seasoned buyer, I know the risks attached to buying products from such places," Tapash noted. "They put foreign brand logos on locally made shoes and sell them..."

While visiting the area, this correspondent saw shoes of different brands being sold in the area. There is no way for an average customer  to understand which one's original and which one's fake. However, the traders claimed that most of the branded shoes were original. The shoes which are sold at Tk 4,000 to Tk 5,000 in showrooms are sold at Tk 1,200 to Tk 2,500 here.

WHERE DO THE 'BRANDED' SHOES COME FROM?

Traders said the factories of Chattogram Export Processing Zone (CEPZ) are the main source of shoes in this hub. Local shoe factories also supply shoes here.

When asked how branded shoes are sold here at a cheaper rate, trader Md Shahid said, "Shoes made for export in CEPZ factories are often rejected by foreign buyers over minor issues."

"Those are then sold by factories at a low price. After going through a few hands, the shoes end up in the footpath market. For this reason, quality shoes are available here at low prices."

Preferring anonymity, a trader said sometimes stolen shoes are also sold here.

Kamal Uddin, another trader, said, "Mostly people from middle and lower income groups and students come here to buy shoes."

However, traders confessed that some hawkers scam customers by selling fake branded shoes.

The city's largest roadside shoe market is open throughout the year from 10:00am to 10:00pm, but sales reach its peak during major festivals.