InterContinental Dhaka Hosts The Great Hilsha Festival 2026
InterContinental Dhaka is hosting The Great Hilsha Festival 2026 from September 9 to 19, celebrating Bangladesh’s national fish through a wide selection of traditional and contemporary Ilish dishes.
The festival, organised in partnership with Nymphea Publication, is being held at Elements Global Dining at the luxury hotel. Nymphea Publication is a Bangladeshi publishing house focused on promoting the country’s history, culture, arts, literature and heritage.
The festival was inaugurated on September 9 at InterContinental Dhaka in the presence of Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman Bhuiyan, Managing Director of Bangladesh Services Ltd.; David O’Hanlon, General Manager of InterContinental Dhaka; Karunangshu Barua, Publisher of Nymphea Publication; Professor Shamsad Mortuza, Vice Chancellor of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh; Golam Iftekhar Mahmud, Editor and Publisher of Dhaka Stream; Ziaul Karim, Head of Brand, Marketing & Communications of Eastern Bank PLC; artist Anisuzzaman Sohel, Executive Creative Director of Nymphea Publication; Olivier Loreaux, Director of Food & Beverage; Julean Sitol Botlero, Executive Chef of InterContinental Dhaka; Saadman Salahuddin, Director of Marketing of InterContinental Dhaka; hotel officials and members of the media.
During the inauguration, Nymphea Publication also launched its publication A Fish Called Ilish in the presence of the guests.
The festival’s dinner buffet features a range of Ilish preparations, including Ilish Pulao, Shorisha Ilish, Ilish Do Piaza, Ilish Paturi, Ilish Narikel Korma, Ilish Tandoori, Ilish Muri Ghonto, Ilish Bhorta and Smoked Ilish Nigiri.
The menu also includes popular Bangladeshi dishes such as Mutton Kacchi Biryani, Beef Kala Bhuna, Mezbaani Beef, Mutton Nihari and assorted bhortas, including Loitta Shutki, along with other signature dishes and desserts.
Live music will be performed every evening during the festival.
The buffet dinner is available from 6:30pm to 10:30pm throughout the festival and is priced at Tk 11,000 net per person. Guests paying with selected bank cards can avail themselves of a Buy One Get Three (B1G3) offer.
Guests who cannot use the card offers can join IHG One Rewards and receive a 25 percent discount on food and beverage at InterContinental Dhaka and participating IHG Hotels & Resorts worldwide.
