SATKHIRA, Nov 30, 2025 (BSS) - Sandesh, a renowned sweet from the Satkhira district, is achieving global recognition as it now crossesthe country's borders and reaches foreign lands.
Sandesh is one of the seven items traditionally considered famous in Satkhira, along with Jujube, Olive, Mango, Buttermilk, Mat andgrafting as an exceptionally popular delicacy.
The district's famous Nolen Gur's Kheer Sandesh, Peda Sandesh, andSarpuria have been distinguished among the nation's best sweets sincethe time of Pakistan. The exceptional quality and delightful flavor of these sweets come from their primary ingredient 'Nolen Gur (jiggery)'.
This jaggery, made from date juice, is essential for creating thisparticular sweet, which is traditionally prepared during the winter season.
Satkhira holds a significant advantage in sweet production as it isthe second largest district in Bangladesh for producing pure cow milk.
This availability of affordable, high-quality milk has allowed theregion to sustain factories specializing in delicious sweet making for a long time.
The creation of Satkhira's sweets relies on a harmonious combination of pure cow milk cheese, the skillful execution of expert artisans, and traditional recipes passed down through generations. The sweets are noted for being both beautiful to look at and exquisitely tasty.
Besides Sandesh, local artisans produce various other types of sweets, including Dudh Malai, Sada Sandesh (White Sandesh), Roshomalai, Chhanar Jilapi, Jamrul, Golap Jam, Mouchak, Balish Chomchom, Danadar, Roshogolla, and Doi (yogurt).
The preparation process for Nolen Gur Sandesh is meticulous. Artisan Abu Taleb explained that their work begins early in the morning by collecting pure cow milk at the factory. The milk is boiled down to produce chhana. The chhana is then bundled in a cloth and hung to drain the water content.
Another artisan, Rofiqul Islam, provided specific production measurements: 20 kg of milk is used to create 7 kg of chhana. This 7 kg of chhana is poured into an Iron Wok on the stove, where 1 kg of Nolen Gur and 1 kg of sugar are added.
The mixture is then heated for approximately 30 minutes. After being removed from the heat, the Sandesh is transferred to a large pot on a table to cool. This total process yields approximately 8 kg of Sandesh or Peda from the initial 20 kg of milk.
Several historic sweet shops, including Fakir Mishtanna Bhandar, Sagar Sweets, Bhagyakul Mishtanna Bhandar, and Keshto Moyra, continue to uphold the district's tradition and reputation.
The sweet's appeal is undeniable. Rezaul Islam, a customer, described Satkhira's Nolen Gur Sandesh and Peda as very tasty and popular, noting that his entire family enjoys it.
Another customer, Abdur Razzak, stated that whenever he visits Satkhira town, he makes sure to purchase the famous sweet from Fakir Mishtanna Bhandar before returning home.
Ahidul Islam, the owner of Fakir Mishtanna Bhandar, confirmed the strong demand, noting that his shop sells between 70 to 80 kg of sweets daily, with Sandesh alone accounting for 30 to 40 kg of that volume.
He highlighted that their sweet is now successfully reaching destinations outside the country.