Chawkbazar of capital still king of iftar markets

In line with 400-year-long tradition of Dhaka city, over 100 makeshift shops were set up soon after Zohr prayers at the iftar market in Old Dhaka's Chawkbazar with tantalising iftar dishes on the third day of Ramadan.

Like every year, the traditional iftar market was abuzz with thousands of gourmands who came to buy special dishes which are only available at Chawkbazar.

Khairuzzaman said he comes from Kamrangirchar for at least 15 days as his family loves the traditional iftar items of Chawkbazar.

Asaduzzaman Anis, a poet living in Jatrabari, said these traditional dishes of the market taste really good but he also found some rotten and adulterated items. Therefore, he put emphasis on regular monitoring of the market.

Shahid, whose family is in this business since British period, said earlier, only a few shops used to sell "Boro Baper Polay Khay" (mixture of chickpeas, finely chopped beef, chicken, potato, liver, brain, egg, hot spices, and ghee) which later became the signature dish of the market and now one kg of the item is being sold for Tk 400.

Shahabuddin Newaz, who is selling Shahi Jilapi at the market for the last 40 years, said during the Bangladesh period Nawab Jilapi was renamed as Shahi Jilapi. Every day, he sells around four maunds of Jilapi, for Tk 160 per kg, and every kilogramme of special Amitti, cooked with a kind of lentil, for Tk 240.

This year, prices or some items like Suti Kebab, leg fry and roasted chicken are about 10-20 per cent higher compared to the previous year due to high price of meat, said traders.

Photo: Anisur Rahman