Where feathers meet fortune: How a small pigeon stall became Dhaka’s premiere bird market

Among pet birds in the country, lovebirds are the most common, and they are also the most numerous in the haat. Photo: Junayet Rashel

Kazi Swapon has long been devoted to pigeons. Since his teenage years, he has felt a special bond with birds. Today, he has almost 700 pigeons. 

Nearly all of them are trained. Among them are racing pigeons as well as ornamental breeds. 

Yet, it is the racers that have truly captured his heart.

Even if released from distant places such as Panchagarh or Teknaf, these pigeons manage to find their way back to Swapon. A few may lose their way or fall prey to hawks, but most return safely. Now well past his middle age, Swapon's love for pigeons remains as strong as ever.

It was in the 1990s, when an idea first struck him: What if there was a market for pigeons on the street near his house? He shared this thought with a few fellow pigeon enthusiasts. Before long, a small temporary market took shape with their support. At first, it was only for pigeons. 

Over time though, the market began to grow. Chickens and roosters were added alongside the pigeons. In those days, the main pigeon market in Dhaka was at Kaptan Bazar. Birds were also sold at Meradia and Tongi. But interest in birds and animals was low.

In contrast to other parts of the city, this Mirpur Section 1 market remained mostly free from extortion. Sellers and buyers could carry on without trouble. This peaceful environment helped the market gain a reputation as the "Pakhir Haat" — bird market. Today, it is the largest bird market in Dhaka. 

The market sits every Friday. Sellers arrive early in the morning. Rows of stalls fill with different kinds of pigeons, hybrid ducks and chickens, exotic turkeys, and even cats. But the most common sight is cages filled with colourful birds.

The market stretches for nearly 1.5 kilometres, starting in front of the Hazrat Shah Ali Girls' High School. Shops selling bird feed, toys and cages line the road.

The market has only grown more vibrant over the years. It begins at 9am and continues until 5pm. Throughout the day, buyers, curious onlookers, and vloggers crowd the place. Cheap local birds sit beside expensive foreign species, all up for sale.

Colours and a chorus of chirps

The moment one steps into the market, the ears begin to ring. No street in Dhaka is this loud. An endless chorus of birds fills the air. Lovebirds, cockatoos, budgerigars, lorikeets, and African doves — all refuse to stay silent.

Even the buyers and sellers seem quieter than the birds. Such a scene is rare in Dhaka. More than a thousand sellers gather here. Buyers come in even greater numbers,  but they are in no hurry to leave — there is joy in simply looking around.

Some sellers are mobile. They walk around the market with cages in hand. But most sit beneath large umbrellas with cages lined up before them. Much of their time is spent explaining things to customers. They speak about the birds' age, gender, food habits, and how to care for them.

The market attracts buyers and sellers from Bogura, Cumilla, Barishal, Khulna, and Mymensingh.

Small birds, big price tags

Cages full of birds line both sides of the road. Among pet birds in the country, lovebirds are the most common, and they are also the most numerous in the haat. Budgerigars and foreign parrots also take up a large share of the market.

These colourful birds in cages are the main attraction here. Most of them are of foreign origin. Their feathers sport hues of red, green, orange, yellow, and white. Often, one bird carries a mix of several colours. Imported birds are bred in the country, giving rise to more new shades. Crossbreeding brings even more variety in colour.

The price of a bird depends on its colour, demand, breed and origin. A pair of classic budgerigars costs Tk500 to Tk800. Many people like the small finch varieties, and they sell well at the market. Their prices are also affordable.

However, the most expensive birds are the ones that can talk. A pair of mynas can cost as much as Tk30,000. Prices for parrots vary by breed. A pair of baby Chandana parrots may be priced at up to Tk6,000. The market also features many foreign varieties of parrots, mynas, and doves.

Yet above all, the main attraction of the market remains the large, exotic birds. An exotic bird chick, barely three months old, can sell for as high as Tk1.5 lakh.

Not just birds

Beyond birds, this market also offers a number of other pets. Cats are the most common among them. There is a separate alley just for cats. A few sheep and goats are also brought to the market.

Among the more uncommon animals found here are hamsters, hedgehogs, and rabbits. 

From time to time, officials from the Forest Department visit the market. If they see someone selling native animals or birds, they take action as per the law. For this reason, native mynas and starlings are not on sale.

However, one man was seen walking around with a mongoose. When told that selling it was not legal, he replied that he had once released it, but it returned two days later.

When asked where he had found it, he said, "In a field in our village. It was about 10 to 12 days old and very ill. I brought it home, fed it, and nursed it back to health. Since then, it has stayed with me. It cannot live without me. But now I am short of money. For the past two or three weeks, I have been bringing it here in secret, but I have not found a buyer."

'When a bird leans in for affection'

For the first seven or eight years after the market began, most visitors came from Mirpur, Gabtoli, Aminbazar, and Kalyanpur. Later, people started arriving from all over Dhaka. At the same time, interest in birds and animals began to grow. A few permanent shops for bird food and birds were also set up.

Mohammad Kofil Uddin, the owner of Amit Bird House, makes cages by hand and sells them himself. He shared that his uncle once had a shop here. Later, he took over and started his own business. 

Parvez Hossain from Mirpur Bird House noted, "Keeping birds keeps the mind fresh. All the stress of the day goes away when the pet bird calls out or leans in for affection. When one spends time caring for birds, there is no room left for worry."

Abu Horaira, another successful trader at the Mirpur bird market, began keeping birds while in the ninth grade. Once he bought a shalik for Tk1,200. On his way home, several people asked whether he would sell it. On a whim, he quoted Tk3,500. Someone later bought it for Tk3,000. At that moment, he decided he would sell birds for a living.

He later completed his graduation. After learning that selling native birds and animals was prohibited, he turned to foreign birds. Now he sells macaws, African grey parrots, and Amazon parrots. He usually collects birds from importers and sells them online.

Like Parvez Hossain, Horaira also believes, "The closer one is to birds, the lighter the heart feels."

This article was originally written and published in Bangla. Translated by Imran Hossain.