Rokshana Akhtar, hailing from Narayanganj, ventured to Chawkbazar accompanied by her son, Fuad Al-Fida, who recently aced his HSC exams, to relish the customary iftar delights at the renowned market.
Despite the distance from their abode, the duo resolved to explore the market based on recommendations from acquaintances and social media buzz.
“My son had been yearning to indulge in iftar offerings here, so I decided to grant his wish,” shared Rokshana. They arrived at the market by 1:00 pm with intentions to procure all the desired items before heading back home.
“I’ve already secured Shahi Jalebi, quail roast, Suti Kebab, Boro Baper Polay Khay, goat leg roast, apples, and dates. I intend to make a few more purchases before departing,” she elaborated.
When asked about a potential return visit, Rokshana expressed that if the food proves delectable, they might revisit later in the year.
Similarly, Md Rejuanul Islam, a resident of Dhanmondi’s Central Road, made his inaugural visit to the market yesterday.
“I’ve already acquired Suti Kebab, Boro Baper Polay Khay, goat leg cuts, and Shahi Jalebi. These traditional treats will be shared with my mother, wife, son, and daughters,” Islam mentioned.
The age-old Chawkbazar iftar market, the capital’s largest, entices numerous visitors nationwide during the holy month of Ramadan. The market bustles with myriad temporary stalls vending a diverse range of delicacies incorporating meat, vegetables, sweets, milk, and spices, with some recipes tracing back to the Mughal era.
The highly coveted Boro Baper Polay Khay, a sumptuous blend of chickpeas, minced meat, potatoes, brain, flattened rice, eggs, chicken, spices, ghee, and other ingredients, remains a standout favorite.
Amir Hossain Juwell, a market trader, disclosed that his family has been engaged in this trade at Chawkbazar since his grandfather’s era.
“My grandfather specialized in selling Boro Baper Polay Khay, the star attraction here. People from various regions, even beyond the capital, flock here annually for it,” he remarked.
“While we operate different ventures throughout the year, come Ramadan, we focus on vending this traditional dish alongside beef, chicken, coal and duck roasts, and goat leg cuts,” Amir added.
Other popular offerings at the market encompass beef and chicken roasts, mutton and chicken cutlets, keema rolls, keema parathas, Dudh Nun, Badami Nun, borhani, and an array of kebabs like Suti, Jali, Irani, and Tikka. Sweet temptations include malai cups, firni, namak para, doi bora, falooda, beef pickle, chicken pickle, Mohabbati sherbet, Pestabadam sherbet, various fruits, and bakery treats.
In addition, two siblings from Khilgaon, Makbul Hossain, and Rani Akhtar were spotted at the market around 2:00 pm.
“We’ve secured coal roast, but we might explore further if something catches our eye,” mentioned Rani.
“This market is a longstanding tradition for the Old Dhaka residents. We make it a point to procure iftar delights here daily to honor the tradition,” voiced Md Ruhul Amin, a Lalbagh resident.
