As intense summer heat continues across Cox’s Bazar, many people are turning to seasonal fruits for relief, with raw palm fruit becoming especially popular among residents and visitors.
Anyone can now spot temporary stalls selling raw palm fruit along the roadsides and in various neighbourhoods of the town.
People of all ages are crowding around the stalls to enjoy the soft white jelly-like flesh inside the fruit, locally known as palm kernels.
A visit to different parts of the town showed that pedestrians were buying and eating the fruit to quench their thirst and cool their bodies amid the humid weather.
Consumers said the fruit’s natural taste and cooling effect provided comfort during the ongoing heatwave.
Speaking near Cox’s Bazar Burmese Government Primary School, vendor Shipon Dhar said he was selling each raw palm fruit for Tk 30.
For customers’ convenience, he cuts open the fruit with a machete and serves the soft white kernels directly.
He said sales remained strong from morning until evening because of the intense heat, adding that children and young people were especially interested in buying the fruit.
Customers said the natural fruit was healthier and more affordable than commercially available soft drinks, while many families were also stopping by to enjoy it together.
Locals said the demand for raw palm fruits rises every year during the summer in Cox’s Bazar.
Seasonal traders bring the fruit from rural areas and sell it in different parts of the town, helping buyers find natural relief from the heat while also creating an additional source of income for vendors.
By Abdu Rashid Manik
Photo: Abdu Rashid Manik
