Customers have received most of the iftar items brought by the catering houses at Puran Dhaka Iftar Bazar at International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in the capital.

However, they were more enthusiastic about haleem and biryani items.

“Since the first day of Ramadan, biryani and haleem items are getting good response from the people,” said ICCB Heritage Restaurant’s cashier Khondokar Abdullah while talking to the Daily Sun on Thursday.

“We have brought four types of biryani and two types of haleem. Mutton Kacchi biryani is more popular than others,” he added.

Beef and mutton haleem items are available at a price range of Tk350-800 at the Iftar Bazar.

Cooked with a variety of ingredients including wheat, barley, lentils and meat, Haleem is a very popular Iftar item not only for it being delicious but also a rich source of nutrition and energy.

ICCB Heritage Restaurant has brought 42 types of iftar items including different types of Biryanis. The price of Biryani varies from Tk320 to 500.

A good number of iftar buyers were seen purchasing biryani and haleem from Puran Dhaka Iftar Bazar on the day.

Asked about the reasons for preferring biryani and haleem, Zerin Tabassum, a customer, said her family members like rich foods in iftar, and therefore, she was buying Biryani and Haleem.

“After a day-long fasting, my family members initially take some fruits, but after the Maghrib prayer, they prefer tasting biryani and haleem,” she said.

Zerin said she found both the items, Biryani and Haleem, at Puran Dhaka Iftar Bazar delicious and well-cooked, maintaining hygiene. “That is why I have come here,” she said.

Eateries are also satisfied with the response from the customers. They said the sale of Biryani and Haleem boosted their business.

Reaz Ahmed Talukder, Sales and Marketing Manager of Master Chef Subrat Ali Catering, said, “We have brought two types of haleem. People are appreciating its taste. They are repeatedly coming to buy Haleem items every day.”

He said haleem is so popular that the sale is done by the time 430pm every day.

Apart from biryani and haleem, the Puran Dhaka Iftar Bazar at ICCB is also offering whole chicken masallam, mutton leg roast, chicken reshmi kebab, mutton Jali kebab, whole chicken BBQ, chaslik, tanduri, luchi, ring paratha, chicken ghugni chat, vegetable lollipop, beef haleem, gondhoraj momo, chicken cutlet, chicken kima chop, beef garlic, daber pudding, malai jarda, lobongo lotika, rosh malai, tiler jilapi, burhani and labang. These are all popular among the iftar item buyers at the Bazar.

Some 15 catering companies are participating in the Bazar with numerous food items at 32 stalls set up at the Pushpanjali Hall of ICCB.