With locals rushing to different stalls for diverse delicacies, city’s makeshift iftar markets have become popular since the beginning of Ramzan.
Though most residents prefer to have homemade iftar, some go to the market to shop for special items like jalebi, piajoo, firni, haleem, chicken tikka, kabab, lassi and dodhi to make the ritual of breaking fast more pleasing.
Some exclusive restaurants and eateries in the city are drawing big crowds with their unique array of iftar delicacies.
One such popular iftar outlet is that of Chili’s, a restaurant located at Shaheb Bazaar Zero Point, which gives importance to nutrition and hygiene when preparing iftar items.
A good number of customers throng the shop searching for delicacies.
“We use fresh beef, mutton, chicken, vegetables, sunflower oil and pure ghee to prepare the iftar items,” said Hasinur Rahman, manager of Chili’s.
Of its special items, a full chicken is sold at Tk 250 to Tk 300, gill cicken at Tk 340,  Kashmari jalebi at Tk 240 per kg, bombay jalebi at Tk 140 per kg, jali kabab, shahi kabab, shik kabab and liver kabab at Tk 40-100, he added. Riaz Ahmed, in-charge of Rahmania Restaurant, said the people have interest in new trends but traditional items are still the highest choice.  He further said like the previous year, Rahmania Restaurant is holding Iftar Bazar on their premises for the guests.
Guests can enjoy the taste of chicken biriyani, beef tehari, shahi haleem, murgi mussalam, chicken kabab, shuti kabab, shahi firni, shahi jilapi and so on.
Besides, guests can order special iftar packets as well. “I have come to buy some unique iftar dishes like Shahi Firni, Shahi Jilapi and Shahi Haleem at the restaurant like every year,” said Safayer Hasan, a resident of Ghoramara area of the city.
Hamid Ali, a shopkeeper of footpath at Shaheb Bazar area, informed the lower and middle income groups of people have the interest in traditional items of iftar like chickpeas, piajoo, jilapi, dates, firni, different types of kabab, kima and different kinds of sweetmeats.
The price of one kg of raw chickpeas was Tk45 to Tk50 last year which they are to buy at Tk 55 to Tk 60 this year.