A traditional 'Poradaha' fair was held at Gabtali in Bogura. Famous for fish and sweets, around this fair, more than a hundred villages host guests and enjoy the festivities. In Eid or any other festival, close relatives including daughter-in-law may not be invited, but everyone must be invited in the cremation fair, which has become a custom. Around the one-day fair, Gabtali Upazila and 5 surrounding Upazilas are in the mood of the festival. During the day-long 'Poradaha' fair, there was a procession of lakhs of people in different places around the fish fair. In total, several crores of rupees have been bought and sold.
It is known that every year on the last Wednesday of the month of Magh, this fair is held on the banks of Ichamati on the occasion of Sannyasi Puja. This custom, which has been going on for more than two and a half hundred years, was no exception this time. People of all ages including children, teenagers, women and men participate in the festival. Around lakhs of people from different Upazilas of the district and surrounding districts come to this fair throughout the day. The day-long fair ends with the sale of huge fish and sweets. Lakhs of people from various Upazilas of the district and surrounding districts come to the fair. The day-long fair ends with the sale of huge fish and sweets. Black carp weighing 40 kg at Tk 2 thousand per kg was the main attraction of the fair. The price of the fish has been increased to 80 thousand taka from 2 thousand taka per kg. Bajlur Rahman, a resident of Golabari area of Gabtali, who brought the biggest fish to the fair, said, "I brought black carp weighing 40 kg from Natore." This is the biggest fish of this fair. I want to sell the fish for 2 thousand taka per kg. But if someone asks, I can reduce it a bit.' A fish seller named Bachchu Sarkar from Sirajganj said, I have brought 30 kg of cuttlefish. I want the price 1250 to 1300 taka per kg. I'll see if the price matches, I'll sell it.' Meanwhile, Katla weighing 30 kg was sold at Tk 13,000 per kg, Boal weighing 20 kg was sold at Tk 1,000 to Tk 16,000 per kg, Brighead weighing 18 kg was sold at Tk 8,000 per kg. Apart from this, depending on the size, roe was sold at Tk 400 to Tk 700 per kg, Chital at Tk 1000 to Tk 2000, pangus and other fishes were sold at Tk 300 to Tk 1500 per kg.
Big sweets are one of the attractions of the fair. Fish-shaped sweets weighing 1 to 12 kg were sold at the price of Tk 200 to 5000. Apart from sporting goods for children, the fair also has a variety of food stalls. There are also shops for cosmetics as well as daily necessities. This time, sweets weighing 12 kg were sold at the rate of 500 taka per kg. There were hundreds of shops with different shapes of sweets including fish-shaped sweets. Apart from sporting goods for children, the fair also has a variety of food stalls. There are also shops for cosmetics as well as daily necessities. Sweets traders Manjurul Haque Bhutto and Abdul Bari Shah said that they have prepared large-sized sweets on the occasion of the fair. Fish-shaped sweets weighing 1 kg to 12 kg were sold at Tk 300 to 500 per kg.
Saiful Islam from Rajshahi said that he came here to buy fish. He was happy to see the big fish. Meanwhile, there are 300 fish shops in the fair, while the organizer of the fair and Mahishaban UP chairman of Gabtali, Abdul Majeed Mondal said that this fair is traditional, the locals celebrate the festival around the fair. This fair is held every year.
Bogura Additional Superintendent of Police Helena Akhter, who came to the fair for the first time, said that the local people are shopping enthusiastically, the district police is active in ensuring that everyone can return home after shopping safely. Adequate number of policemen are on duty in the fair.
It is noted that this fair is held in 'Poradaha' area on the banks of Ichamati about 11 kilometers east of Bogura Sadar. As a result, the fair is popularly known as 'Poradaha' fair.
