Buzzing iftar bazaar now missing

The historic iftar market in capital's Chawkbazar area remained almost empty on the first day of Ramadan amid shutdown for coronavirus.

People throng the centurial market every Ramadan to buy various iftar items that are unique in taste and shape, but not this time.

Around 1,000 makeshift stalls are usually set up to sell iftar items prepared from meat, vegetable, sweet, milk and other ingredients in the market.

Last year, there was no room left on the street in Old Dhaka, Photo: Anisur Rahman

In fact, some of the iftar items in the market can be traced back to the Mughal era.

However, on April 23 this year, the Ministry of Religious Affairs passed a statement banning any form of congregation relating to iftar.

While this ban strictly relates to public events like iftar mahfil, the new norms of social distancing mean that this ban extends to home and private space as well.

As a result, this year there is no crowd around "Boro Baper Polay Khay" at Chawkbazar.

"Boro Baper Polay Khay" is a mixture of chickpeas, minced meat, potatoes, brains, flattened rice, egg, chicken, spices and ghee. The item used to be sold between Tk 350 and Tk 450 per kg and was one of the most popular iftar items in the locality.

Other famous items at Chawkbazar ifter market include beef and chicken roasts, mutton and chicken cutlets, keema roll, keema paratha, borhani and different types of kababs including Sito, Jali, Irani and Tikka.

Mustakim Ahmed, a resident of Lalbagh, said, "It is our family tradition to break our fast with the iftar items from the market, but this year it is not possible due to coronavirus."

Let alone the Old Dhaka dwellers, people from other districts also came to the market to purchase iftar items, he added.

Along with Chawkbazar, almost all markets of iftar items in most parts of the capital remained closed due to the government's restriction.

Barokatra, Chhotokatra, Imamganj and old part of the city also remained empty, said locals.

Moudud Hawladar, officer-in-charge of Chawkbazar Police Station, said they were strict to keep the traders away from selling iftar items to ensure social distancing.

The law enforcers talked to the traders in the area a few days back and asked them not to set up makeshift shops on the streets, the OC said, adding they were also announcing the restriction through loudspeakers.

To add to this, police were also restricting concrete shops from selling iftar items as that would not let social distancing be maintained properly.

Golam Mostafa, a trader in Ibrahimpur area who sells iftar items in a tin-shed shop, said, "I took preparation to sale iftar in a smaller scale but police imposed restriction. Now I don't know what I will do."

"I have been selling iftar item for the last 20 years, but this year I am in serious trouble due to the restriction," he added.

Another such trader at Ibrahimpur said he had made iftar items already and would sell those secretly as he would have to face huge loss otherwise.