Iftar buyers throng Chawkbazar on first day of Ramadan

People crowd Chawk Bazar iftar market in the capital on the first day of Ramadan yesterday. The iftar market is renowned for its variety in terms of items and taste.

Though the city streets were choked with traffic, thousands of people made their way to the traditional iftar market at Chawkbazar in Old Dhaka to buy tantalising iftar dishes on the first day of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan yesterday.
Crowds of buyers were also seen at the makeshift footpath shops at different parts of the capital, including Baily Road, Dhanmondi, Sonargaon Road, Laxmi Bazar, and near Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Karwan Bazar Amborshah Shahi Mosque.
These were erected in violation of the government’s ban on setting up of iftar shops on footpaths.
According to locals, the makeshift shop owners had to pay Tk 2,000 to Tk 10,000 to the ruling party men to set up their iftar shops on the footpaths.
Officers-in-charge of some police stations said they had received the instruction but failed to evict some footpath sellers due to political pressure.
During a visit to Chawakbazar in the afternoon, this correspondent found that sellers at over a hundred makeshift shops were busy trying to grab the attention of buyers to dozens of iftar items.
Every Ramadan, people swarm the market, the most eminent place for traditional iftar dishes in the capital, to buy a range of food stuffs unique both in taste and look.
“I have come to buy some unique iftar dishes like barobaper polay khay, shahi jilapi and fried duck at the market like every year,” said Mohammad Abul Hasan, a resident of Sayedabad.
Chawkbazar’s signature iftar dish “boro baper polay khay” is a mixture of chickpeas, finely chopped beef, chicken, potatoes, brains, flattened rice, egg, chicken, hot spices, and ghee. The item is selling at Tk 350 a kg this time. It was Tk 300 last year.
Other well-known dishes at Chawkbazar include giant beef, chicken and mutton roasts, kima roll, kima paratha, borhani, and different types of kababs, including Shami, Suti, Jali, Irani and Tika.
Md Selim Baburchi, who was selling mutton roasts for Tk 450 apiece, mutton kabab for Tk 600, fried pigeon for Tk 150, fried duck for Tk 400, said he had been doing this business here for the last 12 years. In his early years, he used to sell with his master.
Shahi jilapi, fried chicken, plain parathas, taler roshbori, and doi bora are some of the rather unusual items available in the market. Roasted goat legs, pigeon, koel, and heron also attract people to the traditional iftar market. In addition, there are seasonal fruits, local drinks, and a variety of pickles up for sale in the market.

Roasted lamb legs being sold at the market.