Netrokona's iconic 'Balish' sweet eceives GI recognition

NETROKONA, Sept 27 (BSS): Netrokona's traditional sweet `Balish' has added a new feather to its cap, as it received recognition as a Geographical Indication (GI) product recently.

District Commissioner Mohammad Abdullah Al Mahmud Zaman confirmed that the approval has been granted; now only the official certificate is awaiting.

The recognition has doubled the pride and joy of the people of Netrokona.

The small yet bustling Gayanath Mishtanno Bhandar on Barhatta Road remains the heart of Balish sweets. Though modest in size, the sweet, coated with khir (condensed milk), resembles a soft pillow-hence its name. During festivals, weddings, birthdays, Eid, and Puja, locals eagerly buy it, and even visitors from outside the district come specifically to taste it.

Balish is made from fresh cow's milk, chhena (curdled milk), sugar, and flour. Small portions are shaped into molds, fried, and soaked in hot sugar or honey syrup, before being coated with khir.