Md. Mosabbir Ali, back from Sherpur :
Centuries old traditional Fish Fair marking Poush Sangkranti ended recently at Sherpur in Moulvibazar. Ten thousand of people from greater Sylhet and other districts had come to Sherpur for selling or buying different kinds of sweet water fishes in the 200 years old cultural fair. The fair usually begins a day before the last day of ‘Poush’ Bangla month of as like ‘Poush Sankranty’ observed by Hindu community.
My father saw this traditional fish fair active since his childhood, says Sherpur resident Moinul Islam, 69. I myself have seen it since I was a boy. It is the time when the market is at its busiest over the years it has grown because getting here is much easier nowadays.
Nurul Islam, 68, a resident of Sherpur area said, in the past the fair used to be held in the upazila’s Monmukh area, where the Monu River meets the Kushiyara. Later, the venue was shifted to the Kushiyara riverbank some 80 years ago, with Monmukh being eroded over the years. For people in the locality and beyond, it is a very special event as it provides them with an opportunity to sell and buy different varieties of fish, including those species currently on the brink of extinction.In this year’s fair, around thousands fishermen and fish traders from all over the country have joined it with a wide variety of fish such as baghair, boal, kalibaus, tangra gulasa, chital, rui, salmon, koi and magur.
Fish trader Abdur Rahman from Bahubol area in Habiganj district, who had been attending the fair for the past 30-years, brought a Katla fish weighing at least 60kg to sale. Rahman was demanding Tk one lakh and 20 thousands for the fish caught from Kushiyara river.
Though some traders were seen attending the event with small varieties of fish, big sized fish are always the main attraction, he added. Mamun Mia, a trader from Sirajganj said he had earned Tk27 lakh by selling fishes, netted in the Jamuna river, on the first day of the fair. In addition to local buyers, foreign buyers were seen flocking to different stalls to buy fish. Nasir Ahmed, the owner of a another stall, said he had sold some baghair fish to a foreigner at Tk 55, 000. This year, fish prices are much lower compared with the previous years, said Mujahid Khan, a buyer, adding that he bought two giant wallago attus, locally known as boal, for Tk 40, 000.
Fish apart, other items such as furniture, toys and different kinds of delicacies and homemade cakes are found there. Oliur Rahman, president of the fair organizing committee told this correspondent, Zamindar of Sadhuhati in Maulvibazar Sadar upazila had introduced this fair at the beginning of the last century. As that place was eroded by the Monu, the fair has been shifted to Sherpur since the 1970s. He said the fair was expected to mobilize Tk16 crore to Tk17 crore in three days.
Tofail Islam, Deputy Commissioner in the Moulvibazar said, additional law enforcers have been deployed in and around the venue to prevent possible untoward situations and maintain peace and stability there.
Sumon Alom, a local CNG driver in Sherpur area told told this correspondent, if you pay a visit to Moulvibazar sadar upazila, you will find villages there have turned into a festive wonderland as this year’s edition of the locality’s 200-year old fish fair has kicked off at Sherpur, some 22 kilometers away from Moulvibazar town.
Unlike those typical fairs where products and craft items are the major attractions, this is an event fair where locals rush for the love of fish, he added.
Centuries old traditional Fish Fair marking Poush Sangkranti ended recently at Sherpur in Moulvibazar. Ten thousand of people from greater Sylhet and other districts had come to Sherpur for selling or buying different kinds of sweet water fishes in the 200 years old cultural fair. The fair usually begins a day before the last day of ‘Poush’ Bangla month of as like ‘Poush Sankranty’ observed by Hindu community.
My father saw this traditional fish fair active since his childhood, says Sherpur resident Moinul Islam, 69. I myself have seen it since I was a boy. It is the time when the market is at its busiest over the years it has grown because getting here is much easier nowadays.
Nurul Islam, 68, a resident of Sherpur area said, in the past the fair used to be held in the upazila’s Monmukh area, where the Monu River meets the Kushiyara. Later, the venue was shifted to the Kushiyara riverbank some 80 years ago, with Monmukh being eroded over the years. For people in the locality and beyond, it is a very special event as it provides them with an opportunity to sell and buy different varieties of fish, including those species currently on the brink of extinction.In this year’s fair, around thousands fishermen and fish traders from all over the country have joined it with a wide variety of fish such as baghair, boal, kalibaus, tangra gulasa, chital, rui, salmon, koi and magur.
Fish trader Abdur Rahman from Bahubol area in Habiganj district, who had been attending the fair for the past 30-years, brought a Katla fish weighing at least 60kg to sale. Rahman was demanding Tk one lakh and 20 thousands for the fish caught from Kushiyara river.
Though some traders were seen attending the event with small varieties of fish, big sized fish are always the main attraction, he added. Mamun Mia, a trader from Sirajganj said he had earned Tk27 lakh by selling fishes, netted in the Jamuna river, on the first day of the fair. In addition to local buyers, foreign buyers were seen flocking to different stalls to buy fish. Nasir Ahmed, the owner of a another stall, said he had sold some baghair fish to a foreigner at Tk 55, 000. This year, fish prices are much lower compared with the previous years, said Mujahid Khan, a buyer, adding that he bought two giant wallago attus, locally known as boal, for Tk 40, 000.
Fish apart, other items such as furniture, toys and different kinds of delicacies and homemade cakes are found there. Oliur Rahman, president of the fair organizing committee told this correspondent, Zamindar of Sadhuhati in Maulvibazar Sadar upazila had introduced this fair at the beginning of the last century. As that place was eroded by the Monu, the fair has been shifted to Sherpur since the 1970s. He said the fair was expected to mobilize Tk16 crore to Tk17 crore in three days.
Tofail Islam, Deputy Commissioner in the Moulvibazar said, additional law enforcers have been deployed in and around the venue to prevent possible untoward situations and maintain peace and stability there.
Sumon Alom, a local CNG driver in Sherpur area told told this correspondent, if you pay a visit to Moulvibazar sadar upazila, you will find villages there have turned into a festive wonderland as this year’s edition of the locality’s 200-year old fish fair has kicked off at Sherpur, some 22 kilometers away from Moulvibazar town.
Unlike those typical fairs where products and craft items are the major attractions, this is an event fair where locals rush for the love of fish, he added.
