Various varieties like chitoi pitha, vapa pitha and cakes deep-fried on the spot are on for sale. Some work on small fireplaces while others use kerosene stoves, beside their pushcarts.

Most of these people are seasonal cake sellers and are busy otherwise during the rest of the year. The most popular variety is the vapa pitha (baked cake usually consumed in winter).

"I usually sell sugarcane, but in winter I switch to pitha and sell vapa pitha," said Mohammad Kaium, a seasonal pitha seller at Karwan Bazar, who seemed quite content with his sales. He is also hopeful that more sales will pick up soon.

"The demand keeps increasing, and I have to prepare more that the previous day's volume for the new day," Kaium said.

Din Islam Sheikh, usually a fruit juice seller takes to selling seasonal pitha and specialises in two types of pitha -- chitoi pitha and vapa pitha, and has been in the business for the last two years. He too is quite content with the sales.

"Both pithas are selling well and the demand keeps on increasing as winter intensifies," said Din Islam.

Pitha prices are within the reach of the common people. The usual price of chitoi pitha and vapa pitha are Tk 2, while a larger size of vapa pitha costs Tk 5 each.

Aleya Begum set three firewood stoves and sells three pitha items on Badda-Gulshan link road. These sales bring her family an extra income during the winter. She has her little brother and her daughter to assist her. She hopes to set-up two more similar stoves to make more vapa pitha as its demand is increasing.

Although these sales are targeted at the low-income group, many from different classes often visit these makeshift shops.

"As I work, I do not have enough time to make pitha for my family members. Moreover one needs the skill to make pitha, which these people have," said Munira Azad, a resident of Rampura while buying few pithas from Aleya's little shop.

Another workingwoman from Kalabagan said that she buys pithas from Karwan Bazar on her way home, as she cannot resist the mouth-watering fragrance that emits of the cooking pithas.

About their methods of cooking, Din Islam said that he prefers to use the kerosene burner, as it is easier to maintain and does not need any assistant.

But Aleya has a different view. She feels comfortable using the firewood stove. She admitted that it is not so easy to set up the stove. But she prefers this stove as it gives out more heat facilitating her to make more cakes.

However she said that the price of fuel wood has increased in winter. "Earlier I used to buy fuel wood at Tk 80 to Tk 90 but now the price has increase by almost Tk 30."