Bakarkhani: Traditional Old Dhaka delicacy

Bakarkhani or baqarkhani, also known as bakar khani roti, is a thick, spiced flatbread that originated in modern-day Bangladesh during the Mughal period. With roots in Old Dhaka, the bread has developed several regional variants throughout the Indian subcontinent. It is a very common breakfast snack in Old Dhaka, where it is also the most popular. Outside of Dhaka, Bakarkhani is prepared on certain Muslim religious festivals and is now popular as sweet bread across the subcontinent.

Bakarkhani is almost biscuit-like in texture, with a hard crust. The chief ingredients are flour, semolina, sugar, molasses soaked in saffron, poppy or nigella seeds, salt, and ghee (clarified butter).

Although most popularly eaten in Old Dhaka, where it is an authentic tradition, the makers of bakarkhani tend to have roots in Sylhet. Many rebellious Afghans migrated to the Sylhet region during the Baro-Bhuiyan period as it was seen as a safe-zone for them due to the strong insurgency of rebellious chieftains. The final Afghan ruler, Khwaja Usman, was defeated by the Mughals in 1612 and the remaining Afghans surrendered though continuing to live in Sylhet. The rebels which were captured by the Mughals were made to serve a type of bread associated with their Afghan culture (which would later be known as bakarkhani). As Dhaka was the capital of Mughal Bengal, people from all over Bengal, including Sylhet, would migrate there seeking employment opportunities. The elites of Dhaka had good relations with the upper-class families of Sylhet, and transport between these two regions was common. Many Sylhetis who came to Dhaka started making this bread which they supposedly learned from the Afghans which lived in Sylhet. Many of Dhaka’s bakarkhani sellers even today originate from the Sylhet Division.

Bakarkhani can be found all over Bangladesh but the Bakarkhani from old Dhaka is famous. Anyone can reach old Dhaka by road using Car, CNG, Rickshaw from anyplace of Dhaka.

In olden times, the demand of Bakorkhani was very high during the two Eid festivals. Hakim Habibur Hahman in his book ‘Dhaka Pachash Barash Pahley ‘published in the 1940s gives a detail account of the variety of original food items of Dhaka and their preparation. He mentioned that there were mainly three types of Bakorkhani- Gao joban, Shuki and Nimshuki. Chinshukha roti was also a type of Bakorkhani especially made of sugar, while Nimshukha roti was the dry Bakorkhani. Kaicharoti and Mulam were also other forms of Bakorkhani. Cheese bakarkhani was another delicacy. In every fold, instead of ghee and flour mohanbhog mishti or semolina (suji) halwa was used. These breads known as bhigaroti were sent on dalas (high rim trays) dipped in creamy milk with almond and raisins from the house of the bride to the groom as part of a traditional matrimonial ceremony. It is a very popular and ancient food item of old Dhaka. Now Bakorkhani is found in its new shape (in poly packed) in every exclusive confectionary of Dhaka.

Editorial Desk