FRESH CATCH AND A BIT OF BENGALI.

KARACHI -- The crowded streets of Buffer Zone, Sector 15 in Karachi are bustling with activity. Located in one of the congested streets and comprising some 60 shops is the Bangali Paarra Market, known as the cheapest fish market for the freshest catch in Karachi.

'Tomara ki darakar' [what do you need], 'Saharera sera machha,' [best fish in town] the fishmongers call out to the customers in Bengali. The fishmongers and most of the customers in this market are ethnic Bengali people, originating in the Indian state of Bengal, who had lived in either West Pakistan or East Pakistan prior to 1971 or who migrated from Bangladesh after 1971.

A variety of fish in different sizes, colours, and shapes are draped over the shop counter tops in rows. Water that the fishmongers liberally slosh on the fish to refresh it through the day drips from their tails. This smelly water dripping from the counters finds its way down to make puddles in the muddy street, which is partially covered with tarpaulin or plastic sheets to keep the sun out.

Undeterred by the strong, all-pervasive smell of fish in the air, and jumping over puddles in the street to step on the congested footpath to talk to a fishmonger, you can choose exactly which fish shop you want to haggle or buy fish from.

'Macha ki daam?' [How much for the fish?], asks a customer standing on the plinth of the shop. 'Kaun macha?' [Which fish?], replies the fishmonger. These are most oft-repeated lines in the market between fishmongers and customers. The customer selects from the wide variety of fish and the shop assistants cut and clean the fish according to the customers' needs.

'I am not sure exactly when my father got this shop but I have been helping him since I was five and now I am 40 years old,' says Muhammad Imran, pausing to turn around and instruct his assistants in Bengali about how the customer wanted the fish to be cut. 'We don't only employ Bengali workers, but mostly our relatives or friends want to work with us so we employ them.'

Fish lovers from all walks of life go to the Bangali Paarra Market, but most of the customers are Urdu-speaking or Biharis, who also speak Urdu, while some may speak or understand Bengali.

'Located in the Central District, the market is accessible to Urdu-speaking people and Biharis who reside in the district and the latter are familiar with Bengali,' says Muhammad Sohail, a 37-year-old fishmonger, who along with his four workers wears rain boots to walk around in...