Getting Around the Comilla Fish Market
Comilla is one of the older cities in Bangladesh, and the fish market at Sekagojse is where most of the city gets its seafood. It runs every morning starting around 4 or 5 AM and tapers off by mid-morning. The place is loud, wet, and crowded. If you go expecting something picturesque, you will be disappointed. It is a working market, not a tourist destination. I first went there looking to source some local fish varieties that are hard to find elsewhere. What I found was more complicated than I had imagined. The market has no single centralized system for pricing or ordering. You walk in, find a vendor, and negotiate. That is basically it. There are no price boards. There is no quality grading you can rely on.
Unveiling The Mystique Of Comillas Sekagojse A Journey Through The Iconic Bangladesh Fish Market
The market is divided into sections, though not always clearly marked. One area handles river fish — ilish, rui, katla, pogus. Another section covers freshwater aquaculture species like tilapia and pangash. There is a separate corner for dried fish, which smells intense. You learn quickly to hold your breath when walking through that aisle. Here is something most guides never mention: the best time to go depends entirely on what you are buying. If you want ilish, arrive before 6 AM. That is when the boats from the Meghna River unload. By 7 AM, the good pieces are gone and what remains is either overpriced or already picked over. For tilapia and other farmed fish, the market stays stocked later, so you can arrive closer to 8 or 9 without losing much. One practical problem I ran into was verifying freshness. Vendors will tell you anything. I once bought what was described as "river-caught today" and it turned out to be frozen stock that had been thawed. The fish looked fine on the outside but the eyes were cloudy and the gills smelled off. Now I check three things before committing: the clarity of the eyes, the color and smell of the gills, and whether the flesh springs back when pressed. It takes maybe thirty seconds per fish and saved me from buying spoiled stock on multiple occasions.
Pricing is another area where outsiders get caught. The rates fluctuate daily based on supply from the rivers and local auctions. I went on a Tuesday when a fresh catch had arrived and paid roughly 800 to 1,200 Taka per kilogram for medium-quality ilish. Two weeks later, during a dry spell, the same fish ran 1,500 to 2,000 Taka per kilogram. There is no fixed rate. Bring cash in small denominations. Vendors rarely have change for large notes, especially in the early morning rush. The dried fish section is worth exploring if you cook Bangladeshi food regularly. Shutki — dried and salted fish — is a staple ingredient. The quality ranges from decent to terrible. I learned to look for fish that are completely dry throughout, not just on the surface. Surface-dried fish still have moisture inside and will spoil faster. The ones that are fully dried through stay good for months when stored properly. I buy a few kilos at a time and keep them in sealed containers in a cool place. One thing the market does not handle well is packaging. If you are buying more than two or three kilograms, bring your own bags or containers. Vendors will wrap fish in old newspapers, which is functional but not hygienic. I started bringing small plastic bags and a cooler box. It made a noticeable difference in how fresh the fish stayed during the trip home.
Get the Full Details
The market also has a problem with middlemen who resell at inflated prices to people who do not know better. If you are just buying for personal use, talk directly to the vendors at the stalls. Skip the people walking around with trays offering "special deals." Those are usually arbitrageurs marking up 30 to 50 percent. Payment is almost entirely cash. Some larger vendors accept bKash or Nagad, but do not count on it. ATMs are nearby but often run out of cash during peak market hours. Withdraw money beforehand. If you are visiting for the first time, go with someone local if possible. Not because the market is dangerous — it is not — but because the social dynamics matter. Vendors take buyers more seriously when they are with someone who knows the place. You get better prices and better selection. A stranger walking in blind will pay whatever is asked.
The market closes down by late morning, usually around 11 or 12. After that, most vendors pack up and leave. The area becomes quiet fast. If you need anything after that window, you are looking at grocery stores or smaller shops with whatever leftover stock they have, which is neither fresh nor cheap. I have been going there regularly for about three years now. It has not changed much. The vendors rotate occasionally, the prices shift with the seasons, and the infrastructure remains exactly as it was. That is not a criticism. It is just the reality of how these markets operate in Bangladesh. They do not need reform. They work fine for the people who know how to use them. One final note: photography is sometimes frowned upon. A few vendors will ask you to stop. Do not argue about it. Put the phone away and move on. It is their livelihood, not your content. The market will still be there tomorrow.
