A three-day Boishabi fair, celebrating the primary social and traditional festivals of ethnic communities of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), is set to commence this Thursday in the capital.
The event, marking the festivals of Biju, Boisu, Sangrai, Bihu, Changkran, and Bishu, will be held at the Shakyamuni Buddhist Vihar premises in Mirpur-13.
The fair will remain open to the public daily from 10am to 8pm until Saturday. Located just five minutes by rickshaw from the Mirpur-10 metro station, the venue offers easy access for visitors.
Organised for the second time by the ‘Dhaka-based CHT Entrepreneur Small Traders Co-operative Society Limited’, with support from the ‘CHT Welfare Society’, the fair aims to bring the culture of the hills to the city.
Dipen Dewan, the minister for Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs, is scheduled to attend the inauguration as the chief guest, alongside other prominent personalities from CHT.
The fair will feature 30 to 35 stalls showcasing a variety of fresh agricultural products, Jhum-cultivated vegetables, traditional handicrafts, and hill delicacies.
Among the participants is hill entrepreneur Jilian Talukder, whose stall, ‘Korean Glam Bangladesh’, will offer many traditional hill products alongside various Korean items. Additionally, the ‘Hebang’ restaurant will serve a range of popular hill snacks and dishes.
Each evening will feature traditional songs and dances performed by members of various ethnic groups, and a lottery draw is scheduled for the final day.
Following the fair’s conclusion, a ‘Special Biju Bazaar’ will be held on Sunday. This market will specifically cater to the festival’s needs, offering fresh vegetables, traditional attire, and dried foods.
Subimal Chakma, the member secretary of the organising committee, noted that the event was organised in response to the significant interest city dwellers have in the diverse culture and food of the hills.
“Our goal is to ensure that both hill people and Bengalis can enjoy the festivities together,” he said.
The committee’s convener, Do Aung Marma, has invited all residents of Dhaka to participate in the celebration. Organising member Bipli Chakma added that they expect a massive response this year, following the success of the previous edition.
