Chawk Bazaar is a sprawling wholesale market area in Dhaka, Bangladesh, with hundreds of shops, market stalls and vendors. It dates to the 17th century CE when under Mughal rule. The

bazaar A bazaar or souk is a marketplace consisting of multiple small Market stall, stalls or shops, especially in the Middle East, the Balkans, Central Asia, North Africa and South Asia. They are traditionally located in vaulted or covered streets th ...

is located in the Chowkbazar Thana part of Old Dhaka. Beside the market square is Chawk Mosque, built by

Shaista Khan Mirza Abu Talib (b. 22 November 1600 – d. 1694), better known as Shaista Khan, was a general and the Subahdar of Mughal Bengal. He was maternal uncle to the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, and acted as a key figure during his reign. Shaista Khan ini ...

in 1676. It is 94 feet long, 80 feet wide and has three domes.

Chawk Bazar Iftar

Chawk Bazar has a great significance in

Bengali culture The culture of Bengal defines the cultural heritage of the Bengali people native to eastern regions of the Indian subcontinent, mainly what is today Bangladesh and the Indian states of West Bengal and Tripura, where they form the dominant ...

during Ramadan. While its popularity as a business hub has diminished over the years, Chawk Bazaar is the busiest iftar market. One of the most iconic, and often derided, items is the "boro baper polay khay." Other iconic dishes includes

Shahi jilapi Shahi jilapi () is a famous and traditional sweetmeat originating from Chowk Bazaar in Old Dhaka of Bangladesh, which is very popular throughout the country. Especially, in Ramadan it is most commonly prepared and sold in Chawkbazar of Old Dhak ...

, popularly known as "Sunflower Jalebis", Beguni, Piyaju, Keema Paratha, Beauty lassi, Koel roast, Dim chop, Alur chop, Puran Dhaka Haleem, Hajir Biryani, Chickpeas, fruits, Pithas and Mishtis (Bengali sweets) like Sandesh, Roshogolla, Chomchom, Rasmalai, Bakarkhani, Pantua, Chennar Jilapi, etc. In 2023 UNESCO added

iftar ''Iftar'' () is the Fasting in Islam, fast-breaking Supper, evening meal of Muslims in Ramadan at the time of ' (call to prayer) of the Maghrib prayer. Iftar is the second meal of the day; during Ramadan, the daily fast begins immediately a ...

to its list of

Intangible Cultural Heritage An intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is a practice, representation, expression, knowledge, or skill considered by UNESCO to be part of a place's cultural heritage. Buildings, historic places, monuments, and artifacts are cultural property. In ...

References

{{Coord, 23.7170, N, 90.3963, E, region:BD_type:city, display=title Old Dhaka Bazaars in Bangladesh Economy of Dhaka Buildings and structures in Dhaka Neighbourhoods in Dhaka Tourist attractions in Dhaka Economic history of Bangladesh