Relief in matha

You will hardly find someone who did not want to buy some famous lightly sweetened curd of Bogra, popularly known as Misti Doi, while visiting the northern part of the country.

Besides the sweetened curd, the sweetmeat traders in Bogra are producing buttermilk, locally known as 'matha', which is gaining popularity very fast among the locals as well as the visitors.

Locals said due to the hot summer weather, a number of people of Sadar and Sherpur upazilas gathered in front of different buttermilk shops in the area to get instant relief from their thirst.

Hosne Ara, a schoolteacher in Raiganj upazila of Sirajganj, who came to visit historic Mohasthangarh with her family, said whenever she visits the area she likes to have some cold buttermilk as it gives her huge relief in the hot summer weather.

Subal Gosh, a buttermilk seller in Bogra town, said he has been selling buttermilk for Tk 5 per glass for the last 20 years, adding the demand for buttermilk is increasing day by day, especially in the summer season.

Subal said considering the customers' demand, one Gopal Chandra Gosh, owner of 'Shampa Dodhi Bhandar' in Sherpur municipality, first started to produce and sell bottled buttermilk which is gaining popularity among the consumers.

Manager of Shampa Dodhi Bhandar Tapan Kumar said they usually prepare curd and sweetmeats throughout the year and produced the bottled buttermilk in the summer only.

Tapan said, following their footsteps, Choiti Dodhighar, Rinki Dodhighar and Jalajog Dodhighar also have been producing buttermilk on commercial basis for the last two to three years.

Physician Dr Abdul Razzak said dryness from hot temperature can be reduced by drinking buttermilk as it keeps the human body cool and also prevents different physical complications.