DFM Photo Essays

Fermenting fish is a familiar strategy of food preservation in Bangladesh. Although a number of fermented fish products are available, the most popular is chapa or shidol. Chapa has long been an important food in local diets, particularly in the north-central, north-eastern, and southern hilly regions. It is a delicacy and a common protein source in the diet of poor and middle-class People. Thousands of men, women, and children are involved in the fish fermentation sectors. They supply the raw fish and are engaged in processing, which includes drying and fermenting, and in trading. This photo essay traces the process of making, marketing, and consuming chapa across the value chain. We aim to contribute an appreciation of the socially embedded practices around chapa and hence broaden understanding of fish fermentation in the floodplains of Bangladesh.

This photo essay was originally published as part of Dried Fish Matters e-Book titled ‘Dried Fish Matters Exploring the Social Economy of Dried Fish’ by TBTI Global.