Gur Pukur Mela begins in Satkhira

However, the rush of businessmen is thin this year.

Previously, thousands of businessmen began to set up their stalls 15 days ahead of the fair. Trader used to come from far flung areas with wooden furniture, bamboo and cane made articles, utensils and other house hold articles. Traders used to bring thousands of saplings of fruit bearing trees and medicinal plants. The fair helped expand cottage industries to a great extent.

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Local administration has taken up strict measures to maintain law and order.

But the 300-year old fair began to lose lustre after a series of bomb blasts in 2002. Three people died and over 100 people were injured in the blasts. But the culprits involved in the blasts are yet to be detected. An official ban on Jatra and circus was also imposed since then.

The fair helped preserve local culture and heritage. It also helped flourish the cottage and small industries which are now on verge of extinction. The actual history of the fair could not be known as yet.