Chandpur Hilsa

Ilish, the hilsa, is the national fish of Bangladesh, an anadromous shad that runs from the sea up the rivers to spawn, and Chandpur, where the Meghna and the Padma meet, is its capital: the fish taken here in the peak season are considered the best in the country, judged by fat and flavour, and the riverside market at the launch ghat is where the trade concentrates, with auctions as the boats land and prices that the whole country follows. Eating hilsa at Chandpur, fried, in mustard, or in sour broth, is the point of the trip, and the launch journey from Dhaka down the Meghna is the proper way to arrive. Seasonal fishing bans protect the spawning runs and are enforced.

What you actually see

• The hilsa auctions at the ghat - the trade as the boats land.
• The Meghna-Padma junction - the waters the fish run through.
• Hilsa cooked at source - fried, in mustard, in sour broth.
• The launch journey from Dhaka - the river approach to the town.

When to go

August to October is the peak season; fishing bans fall around it and change yearly, so check. A day, or overnight by launch. The market is best early as boats land.

Honest expectations

Hilsa is full of fine bones and defeats the unpracticed. Prices in season are high and rise every year. The market is wet, loud and pungent. Ban periods empty the trade completely.

Nearby

The launch ghat is the centre; Dhaka lies upriver.