The mega fish fair that began on Monday along the western bank of the Kushiyara River in Shibpur, Moulvibazar, has attracted thousands of villagers.
This fair is one of the country’s oldest fish fairs, a vibrant cultural tradition stretching back over 200 years. More than just a marketplace, it has evolved into a major festival that celebrates Bengali rural life, strengthens social ties, and revitalises the rural economy.
From dawn, crowds stream towards the riverbank. Vast fields along the Kushiyara fill with thousands of stalls, fish markets, and folk entertainment. The air hums with the scent of fish, lively haggling, loudspeaker announcements, drumbeats, and children’s laughter, creating an electric, festive atmosphere.
Though called a fish fair, it now serves as a mammoth gathering of villagers. Alongside fish, visitors find furniture, kitchenware, toys, local food, sweets, Nakshi Kantha, Shital Pati, and wooden crafts. Traditional swings (Nagar Dola), Charkhi games, bioscopes, and kite flying add to the festive spirit, making them inseparable from the fair’s charm.
While local fishermen once supplied the fair, today fish arrive from across the country—from rivers, haors, and farms. The Surma, Kushiyara, Meghna, and haors like Hakaluki and Tanguar haor send prized catches.
Species such as Baghair, Rui, Katla, Boal, Aair, and Mrigel are displayed in impressive sizes, with preparations starting six months in advance.
Small fish see less demand here, with most selling for over Tk 5,000. Medium ones range from Tk 25,000–30,000, while larger specimens fetch Tk 50,000 to one lakh.
This year, fish measuring four to five feet and weighing 10–30 kg were seen in the fair. The star was the famed Kushiyara Baghair, priced at over Tk 3.5 lakh.
The fair has become a reunion hub for expatriates from Shibpur, Nabiganj, Habiganj, and Moulvibazar. Many return annually to reconnect with family and friends, turning the event into a vital social ritual that strengthens community bonds.
Marked by spontaneous participation from Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian communities, the fair stands as a living example of religious and cultural melting pot, a unifying thread in the region’s social fabric.
Organisers trace the fair back nearly two centuries to Rajendranath Dham (Mathur Babu), a zamidar of Sadhuhati village in Satrashwati pargana, who started it to celebrate Nabanna and Poush Sankranti.
Once a major river port and commercial centre of greater Sylhet, Shibpur continues to honour this heritage.
Beyond moving fish and goods worth millions, the fair supports thousands of livelihoods. It also carries forward rural cultural traditions, proving—even in an industrial age—that such folk festivals remain the heartbeat of Bengali culture.
