Airin Aktar, a resident of Dhanmondi, was seen moving through Chawkbazar around 2:00pm today, collecting an assortment of traditional iftar items on the first day of Ramadan.
She was searching for the iconic Shahi Jilapi shop at the historic Old Dhaka market. "I came on the first day to get fresh, high-quality products, as my family loves to start Ramadan with traditional iftar items," she said, having already bought Boro Baper Polay Khay, Mohabbati Sharbat, chicken shashlik, chicken keema, and Jali Kebab.
Like her, Riaz Talukdar from Khilgaon also visited Chawkbazar, hoping to secure the freshest items for his family. "Every year, I come here to buy these traditional iftar items," he said.
The centuries-old Chawkbazar iftar market, the largest in the capital, draws hundreds of visitors daily during Ramadan. Several hundred makeshift stalls sell a variety of delicacies made from meat, vegetables, sweets, milk, and spices -- many dating back to the Mughal era.
The most sought-after item remains Boro Baper Polay Khay, a rich mixture of chickpeas, minced meat, potatoes, brain, flattened rice, eggs, chicken, spices, and ghee, priced at Tk 800 per kg. Other favourites include beef and chicken roasts, mutton and chicken cutlets, keema rolls, keema parathas, borhani, and various kebabs like Suti, Jali, Irani, and Tikka.
Sweet treats such as malai cups, firni, namak para, doi bora, and feluda complete the spread.
Mohammad Afzal, a 57-year-old shop owner and long-time resident of Baro Katra, recalled the market's history. "This market is around 400 years old. There are about 500 shops here this year, compared to just 100 tin-shed makeshift shops during my childhood," he said.
He reminisced about how people from Nawab Bari and Baro Katra once arrived in bullock and horse carts to buy iftar items.
For some, these delicacies remain a Ramadan staple beyond the first day.
Wasim Uddin and Ruhani Wasim, a couple from Wari, visit Chawkbazar throughout the month. "Having grown up in Old Dhaka, we cherish these traditional items and enjoy them all Ramadan," said Wasim.
Meanwhile, vendors like Mohammad Hossain, busy selling Boro Baper Polay Khay, see the business as a family legacy. "My grandfather and father sold iftar here, and now I do too," he said.
As iftar time approached, Chawkbazar remained packed, its rich aromas filling the air, marking another Ramadan in Dhaka.
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