Diverse varieties of fish, both small and large, grace this vibrant fair, with notable species like Rohu, Catla, Silver carp, Bighead, Chital, and Boal taking the spotlight. Coinciding with this event, nearby villages also celebrate the Nabanna festival (Bengali crop harvesting festival), adding to the festive atmosphere.

Attendees, many of whom are regulars at the fair, share their enthusiasm. Seema Akhtar, a bride attending with her husband, expresses delight at witnessing the impressive array of large fish. “I see big fish, and it feels so good,” she remarks.

Rabbi, a son-in-law participating in the “Jamai mela”, proudly shares, “I bought a hefty 15 kg Catla fish and am heading to my father-in-law’s house with this prized catch.”

Local residents, Ruhul Amin and Kajal Chandra, note that the fair, coinciding with Nabanna, witnesses a significant surge in fish supply, resulting in more reasonable prices. This affordability attracts buyers from distant locations, eager to secure their share of the diverse catch.

Rezaul Karim, the tenant of Panchshira Bazaar, reports a substantial influx of fish, ranging from 300 to 2,000 taka per kg, depending on the type. He emphasizes that larger fish dominate the offerings, contributing to the fair’s allure.

As sellers converge from different regions, the fair becomes a bustling hub of commerce. Despite its one-day duration, transactions worth several lakhs of taka unfold, making it a lucrative marketplace. The event coincides with Nabanna, prompting locals to share the festive spirit with neighboring villages and revel in the joyous celebration of this agricultural festival.

Anwar Ali, the Fisheries Officer of Kalai Upazila, highlights the fair’s main attraction: the presence of large fish. Traders and fish farmers meticulously collect sizable catches from various areas, ensuring a diverse and impressive display at the fair. Stringent measures are in place to prevent the sale of compromised fish, ensuring the event’s continued success and safety for all participants.

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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

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