Chittagong: What is ‘needle to full bed bed’ in Jabbar Balikhela’s Baisakhi fair! This time several days before the start of the official fair, traders from remote areas including Dhaka have brought goods in truck after truck. Buyers are flocking to see heart-warming pottery, cottage industry, rural products.
The sale has also started through negotiation. It is said that the householders of this town buy a year’s worth of trinkets from Jabbar’s balikhela fair.
Large piles of earthenware, showpieces, vases, elephants and horses, earthen banks from the cinema palace to the mouth of Hazari Gali were seen on the ground. Potters are busy painting. Clay water pots, pitchers, jugs, glasses are in high demand due to extreme heat. Clay banks, dolls, idols and showpieces are in demand.
Talking to Rezaul Karim while painting vases. He said that he brought pottery from Savar, Gazipur and Dhaka. Being fragile, many products are damaged during transportation and handling. Car hire is also required to return unsold goods. So we left a few days early so that we could slowly pack up.
He said that due to the addition of talented youth and modern equipment, world-class pottery is being produced in the country. The value of these is increasing among domestic hobby buyers as well as foreigners. Although the price is a bit high.
All the attractive lamps, showpieces, mirrors, toy shops made of various materials including glass, jute, thread, bamboo, cane, kachuripana, wood have seen a crowd of young people.
In front of the Zilla Parishad Market, we talked to college student Akalima Banu at the pottery stall. He said, there are so many beautiful things in this fair that I want to buy a lot of things. But it has to be coordinated between effort and ability. However, before the official start of the fair, the sellers are charging higher prices. If you don’t negotiate, there is a risk of being cheated. Of course, the side of the sellers should also be considered. Both parties must win in the transaction.
However, palm leaves, cane, bamboo, various types of hand fans made of cloth and flower brooms are in high demand at the fair. Chandnaish monochromatic hand fan is more expensive. However, the value is increasing for light weight handles. The price of each pair of good quality hand fans is Rs. 300. Flower brooms of different quality are being sold for Tk 200-300 per pair. Brooms are being sold at Andarkilla Mor, General Hospital Gate, in front of Hazari Gully, in front of Chittagong Central Jail. The vendors said that flower brooms are coming to the fair from various small factories in the city including Banshkhali.
Shitalpati is being sold in front of Sonali Bank. Plastic mat is competing with it. As the price is lower, the mat is seen to be sold more. As usual, saplings including big mangoes are being sold on the north bank of Laldighi. Not only mangoes, different types of fruits, flowers, medicinal plants are also being sold.
In front of the cinema palace, vendors have arranged stalls of cheap wooden beds, wardrobes and other types of furniture. Two rattan furniture shops were seen on the footpath near the Laldighi grounds. Apart from this, a variety of household items, sarees, thrips, children’s clothes, trinkets, jewellery, toys, TomTom cars, balloons, flutes, seasonal fruits and various products and food are being sold throughout the fair.
Every year on 12 Baisakh (April 25), a three-day Baisakhi fair is held around Balikhela (wrestling competition). On those three days, entrepreneurs, traders and shopkeepers from remote areas spread out on the road from Kotwali-Cinepalace-Andarkilla. Even then, the sale of the mela’s merchandise will continue until the stocks are exhausted. In total, the trade is worth several crores of rupees.
Abdul Jabbar Commemorative Wrestling Competition and Baisakhi Mela Committee Vice-President Chowdhury Farid told Banglanews that a coordination meeting was held with Chittagong Metropolitan Police officials to complete the historical Jabbar’s Bolikhela and Baisakhi Mela. To secure Balikhela and Baisakhi fair, it has been decided to bring the entire area under hundreds of CCTV cameras, to take strict action against traders who ask for money from the traders coming to the fair, and to strengthen the security system. Volleyball will be held on April 25 afternoon. NHT Holding Limited is the sponsor of volleyball this year.
Abdul Jabbar Saudagar, a prominent businessman, started Balikhela on the banks of Laldighi in 1909 to encourage the youth in the anti-British movement. Because of Corona, Balikhela and fair were closed for two years. Later, under the patronage of Mayor Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, Balikhela and Baisakhi Fair were organized for the last two years.
Bangladesh Time: 2140 hours, April 22, 2024
AR/PD/TC
