In the Binirail village of the Kaliganj upazila of Gazipur, a unique fish fair “Jamai Mela” has been taking place for last 250 years. The fish fair has turned into a local tradition of this area. This fair is commonly known as ‘Jamai Mela’. It is organized on the first day of the Bengali month of Magh also known as Poush Sankranti.
However, everyone refers to it as “Jamai Mela”, which in English is “the fair of Son in law” even though it is actually a fish fair. This is due to a competition among the local son-in-laws to buy large size fish for their in-law’s place.
More than 200 fishmongers set up large fish stalls in an empty field for the fair. People from many places rush to this fair in the morning. Earlier, fish merchants carrying large fishes arrived at the fair by trucks, pickups and rickshaws. By noon, it becomes very crowded with the visitors and buyers.
Ashraful Islam of Kaliganj, a patron, said he visits his in-laws every year on the occasion of the “Jamai Mela” Gazipur. He always tries to buy large sized fish from the fair. This time he brought a fish of 40 kg weight for 55 thousand taka (USD 550).
The fair is also appealing to the fishmonger too. Birendra Chandra Das, a fishmonger of Upazila Sadar Bazar has been selling fish at this fair for the last 25 years. This time he brought a Baghair (Bagarius bagarius) fish weighing 50 kg. He asked 1 lakh 12 thousand taka (USD 1120) for the price of the fish. However, one of the buyers agreed to pay 50 thousand taka (USD 500).
Sajib Chandra Das, a fish seller, brought fish worth roughly 5 lakh taka from Ghorashal. Among the other fish, he had a 40 kg Catla fish (Catla catla) with him. He charged 40,000 (USD 400) taka for the fish, or 1,000 taka per kg. He then sold the fish for 30 thousand taka (USD 300).
Around the fair, people gather from various neighborhoods. People from different upazilas of Gazipur, Mymensingh, Tangail, Narayanganj, Narsingdi, Bhairab and Kishoreganj come to Kaliganj on the occasion of this fair. The crowd of people of all ages creates a busy environment in this area. Throughout the entire year, locals wait for this day. On this day, every house in the area is filled with new and old guests.
The organizers of the fair said that more than two hundred fish traders have set up colorful fish stalls this year. Apart from fish, the fair also has shops of furniture, toys, sweets etc. In “Jamai mela” Bagar, boal, kalboush, Pabda, Gulsha, Shrimp, Baim, Rupchanda fish are also sold along with various types of native fish.
Ajit Chandra Das, a fish trader from Bhairav, said: “I have been bringing fish to this fair for 25 years. I have created a positive relation with the local people through this fair. Also I have been introduced to many customers. Earlier the local people used to buy fish mainly, but now people from different districts come here, take pictures and videos.”
Alamgir Hossain, a fish buyer said: “I have heard about the fair recently and this is the first time I have come to the fish fair. I bought numerous fish including Boal, Katla which are worth about 1 lakh taka (USD 1000).”
Kishore Akand, president of the organizing committee of the fish fair and a member of the local union council, said that no one can tell the exact information about how many years ago the fair started. However, older citizens say that this fair started two hundred fifty years ago.
A festival like “Jamai mela” is extremely unusual and hardly held anywhere in Bangladesh apart from the Gazipur. People in the area suggest that a fair of this kind might be more properly held in some other region of the country. Because the fair strengthens community ties and also promotes economic development.
Jaber Bin Abdul Bari
Dept. of Fisheries and Marine Science, NSTU
