HELEMUL ALAM

Anik Mridha, a resident of Uttara came to Chawkbazar around 2:00pm yesterday to purchase his favourite iftar item “Boro Baper Polay Khay”.

Though he used to come to Chawkbazar every year to purchase Boro Baper Polay Khay since 2012, the last two years have been an exception due to the pandemic.

“This is a very special item which I can’t get in other areas. I’ve come to purchase it here along with my father like I did every year before the pandemic,” said Zara, a resident of Malibagh Chowdhurypara, a college student.

The several hundred years old Chawkbazar iftar market, the largest in the capital, not only attracts Dhaka residents but also people from all over the country.

Almost 100 makeshift shops have been set up at Chawkbazar this year which sell items prepared with meat, vegetables, sweets, milk and other ingredients.

Some iftar items can be traced back to the Mughal era.