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On the first day of Ramadan on Thursday, customers from across the city flock to the sprawling Chawkbazar market in Old Dhaka, aptly nicknamed ‘the iftar street', to indulge in their favourite traditional iftar treats, from crispy peyajus and golden begunis to succulent chicken parathas and rich lamb roasts. Photo: Reaz Ahmed Sumon
The Chawkbazar Iftar Market, steeped in nearly 400 years of heritage, turned into a bustling centre of traditional Ramadan delicacies on Thursday, the first day of the holy month, as it does every year.
Crowds flocked to one of the capital’s largest iftar markets, braving severe traffic to experience the atmosphere of the century-old bazaar and buy from hundreds of items ranging from fast food, fruits and juices to meat dishes.
A visit to the market revealed an array of offerings, including chicken kebabs, morog musallam, seekh and shami kebabs, chicken tikka, mutton chop, kala bhuna and mutton leg roast. Popular Ramadan staples such as jilapi, samucha, halim, firni and a variety of sweets were also on sale. Manik Mia, who came from Armanitola to buy iftar items, said Chawkbazar’s spread was unmatched. “Chakbazar's iftar has a reputation across the country, as the variety of iftar items available here cannot be found together anywhere else,” he said.
Among the crowd, a whole roast mutton drew particular attention, with sellers quoting a price of Tk12,000, though they said the price could be reduced through bargaining. Atikur Rahman, who visited from Tantibazar, said the item was unique but too costly. “I could buy this if it were priced around Tk8,000.”
Fruits also saw strong sales alongside the market’s famed fast food. Pineapple, apple, plum, papaya, grapes and dates were widely available, while drinks such as Kashmiri sherbet, labang and borhani remained in high demand.
Shamsul Islam, a pineapple seller, said prices were high on the first day. “Medium-sized pineapples cost Tk70-80, and the larger ones cost Tk120.”
Buyers alleged that prices rise when customer numbers increase, while sellers argued they were compelled to adjust rates due to higher raw ingredient costs. Despite the complaints, customer turnout was described as satisfactory.
Taufiq Hossain, seen buying papaya, said it was beneficial during Ramadan but noted a sharp price hike. “The price has increased a lot within two days. One kg of papaya costs Tk160. The price of goods needs to be controlled,” he urged.
Veteran vendor Barkat Laskar, who has run a stall in Chawkbazar for more than two decades, said Ramadan often brings higher costs. “The price of goods always increases when Ramadan comes. We are forced to increase prices as well,” he said, adding that stable raw ingredient prices would allow vendors to sell at lower rates.
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