A sea "sailfish" has been brought for sale to Lalbazar, the fish market at Bandarbazar in Sylhet city. The Lalbazar traders, however, have named it "Pankhiraj", mainly because of the fin on its back. The fish weighs about 35 kg, and Tk 35,000 is being asked for it.

The fish was put on sale at Lalbazar from this morning, Sunday.

A visit to the market in the afternoon found many buyers and onlookers gathered to get a look at the sea fish. Some were touching its body, some stroking its fin, and many were feeling its long bill.

Fahim Ahmed, who came to see the fish, said: "I came out of curiosity after hearing the name 'Pankhiraj'. It is a very beautiful fish. But searching the internet, I could not find any fish called 'Pankhiraj'."

Fish traders said the fish was caught in fishermen's nets in Cox's Bazar and sent to the Lalbazar traders for sale. It went on sale today.

Golzar Ahmed, general secretary of the Lalbazar fish traders' cooperative society, told Prothom Alo: "We named it 'Pankhiraj' because of its huge fin. This sea fish may have another name too. It came to us through Chattogram fish trader Khorshed Mia. One of these fish weighing 18 to 20 kg was brought to the market before, in 2017, and sold for Tk 15,000." He added: "Many people have crowded in to see the fish since morning. We are asking Tk 35,000, but one buyer has offered up to Tk 25,000. If we do not get the price we want, it will be cut up and sold by the kg."

Source: Prothom Alo. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.