Fest of fish

It is not the usual fair where you will find clothes, potteries and handicrafts. It is a fish fair, which is rarely seen these days.

We are talking about the traditional fish fair in Sherpur of Moulvibazar Sadar upazila.

Much to the delight of the fish lovers, this is a fair which exhibits and sells various kinds of freshwater fish at a time when it is difficult to find them in the haors, beels and rivers. 

Every year, the fair begins in the afternoon of the day before Poush Sangkranti on the bank of the Kushiara river. Marking the end of the Bangla month, Poush, the fair ends on the first day of another Bangla month, Magh.  

Fish lovers yesterday thronged the three-day fair which began on Thursday. The fair saw a good sale as people bought a huge amount of fish ahead of the Poush Sangkranti. 

According to the fish fair organising committee, over 1,000 fish traders came to the fair from different districts with various local varieties of sweetwater fish like boal, aair, chital, ruhi, katla, koi and magur.

Trader Abdul Hamid took a baghaair weighing 45 kgs to the fair. He demanded Tk 50,000 for his giant fish.

Moin Uddin, a retired government official who went to the fair from Habiganj town yesterday with his son, said it was a great attraction for fair-goers, especially children and youngsters, who never saw such fish.

Zamindar of Sadhuhati in Moulvibazar Sadar upazila had introduced this fair at the beginning of the last century.

The fair used to be held at Monumukh, where the river Monu meets the Kushiara. As that place was eroded by the Monu, the fair has been held in Sherpur since the 1970s, locals said.

Waliur Rahman, convener of the fish fair organising committee, said dishes of different species of local fish are available at restaurants in Sherpur area. Fair-goers can take the taste of local fish if they wish.