In streets of Old Dhaka, life bustles all night during Ramadan

Special In streets of Old Dhaka, life bustles all night during Ramadan
Nazirabazar area in Old Dhaka is bustling with life on Ramadan night, March 17, 2025. (AN Photo)
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Updated 21 March 2025
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In streets of Old Dhaka, life bustles all night during Ramadan

In streets of Old Dhaka, life bustles all night during Ramadan
  • Old Dhaka is the historic core and original settlement of Bangladesh’s capital
  • Its unique food scene draws crowds from all over the city during iftar and sahoor

DHAKA: The streets of Old Dhaka stay alive all night during Ramadan, with grocery shops, tailor stalls, hair salons, and eateries keeping their doors open as people from across the Bangladeshi capital flock to the neighborhood for its local delicacies that cannot be found anywhere else.

Old Dhaka is the historic core and original settlement of the city of Dhaka.

Vibrant and densely populated, it is known for its rich cultural heritage and traditional architecture. It is the heart of the Bangladeshi capital’s old markets and residential buildings, many of which date back to the 17th century, when Dhaka was an important part of the Mughal Empire.

Forgotten throughout the year by the rest of the city, where life revolves around modern settlements and business districts, residents of Old Dhaka are reminded of their significance during the fasting month, when their neighborhood becomes a main attraction.

“Only in the month of Ramadan we work at full capacity. Every day, we receive new orders, and sometimes, we even have to refuse them,” said Mohammed Nasir Uddin Sagar Khan,

a tailor shop owner in Old Dhaka’s Nazirabazar.

“We earn much more during Ramadan. The money I earn is quite good.”

His shop remains open throughout the night until a bit after sahoor, or around daybreak, after which it closes for a few hours of rest.

“It feels good working during those nights as the area remains crowded, with people coming from different places,” Khan said. “Media and TV channels of Dhaka come here during night to have biryani, ice cream, and chit-chat. We enjoy this ambiance very much.”

At a nearby salon in Agasadek lane, Somrat Hossain Sumon is dealing with a line of queuing customers.

“We experience a surge in clients,” he said. “During Ramadan, our customers start coming immediately after iftar … Usually, we continue till sahoor hours or as long as our customers need our services.”

While some people come to Old Dhaka for festive clothes and some for haircuts, what draws most is the neighborhood’s unique food scene.

Nazirabazar is widely considered the food capital of Old Dhaka, and guests not only from other parts of the city but also from areas 50-60km away regularly visit during Ramadan to taste various kinds of biriyani, kebab, and desserts.

“Our restaurants are crowded at all times. For sahoor, people even need to queue to secure a seat,” said Mohammed Abdullah Al Mamun, manager of Mamun Biriyani, one of the famous biryani spots in the neighborhood.

“People mostly come to our restaurant to have our signature dish beef tehari … We are famous for this dish.”

Tehari is a variety of biryani — a rice dish that to many in South Asia is a favorite Ramadan comfort food.

In Nazirabazar, it is the most sought-after item.

“Biryani from this place is famous around the world … Today, I came here particularly for this biryani,” said Shahjalal Scissor, a student who arrived in Old Dhaka from Bashundhora, an upscale area of new Dhaka.

“I came here to feel the heritage, the ambiance of this place, the tradition and nightlife of Old Dhaka. I am here to experience all these things.”

Maruf Ahmed, a businessman from Dhaka’s Uttara area, brought his family along to treat them to something unique for sahoor.

“The flavors I enjoy here are something one doesn’t get anywhere in Uttara,” he said.

“Most of the time, I have kebab from Bismillah Kebab. I think in the marination or spices they use, they have some secret which makes the taste different. Also, they roast the meat over coal, while in most places we’re used to oil-fried kebabs.”

To cap off iftar or sahoor, many opt for the iconic flavored yogurt drinks.

Beauty Lassi, one of the places that serve the drink in Old Dhaka, has been around for over 100 years.

The shop’s recipes have been passed down from its founder to the next generations, and the drinks it offers are nowhere else to be found.

“We have lassi in our locality too, but lassi at Beauty Lassi of Old Dhaka is unmatched. We don’t even compare it,” said Abdur Rahman Shihab, who arrived in Nazirabazar from Shonir Akhra with a group of friends.

They stayed in Old Dhaka for iftar.

“We don’t get this kind of food every day … All these dishes are a testament to heritage, each with its unique signature taste. It’s the specialty of Old Dhaka,” Shihab told Arab News.

“Every food served here has some special taste. That’s why we came here. We visit this place only on special occasions.”


Trump says Harvard a ‘joke’ undeserving of US federal funding

Updated 11 sec ago
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Trump says Harvard a ‘joke’ undeserving of US federal funding

Trump says Harvard a ‘joke’ undeserving of US federal funding
Harvard has stood out for defying Trump’s attempts to force it to submit to wide-ranging government oversight
“Harvard is a JOKE, teaches Hate and Stupidity, and should no longer receive Federal Funds,” said Trump

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump doubled down Wednesday on a funding standoff with top university Harvard that has become a focal point of his war against elite educational institutions.
Harvard has stood out for defying Trump’s attempts to force it to submit to wide-ranging government oversight, in contrast to several other universities that have folded under intense pressure from the White House.
“Harvard can no longer be considered even a decent place of learning, and should not be considered on any list of the World’s Great Universities or Colleges,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.
“Harvard is a JOKE, teaches Hate and Stupidity, and should no longer receive Federal Funds.”
On Tuesday, Trump threatened to strip the university of its tax-exempt status as a nonprofit educational institution, after earlier freezing $2.2 billion in federal funding.
Trump has demanded that the university change the way it runs itself, including how it selects students and its hiring practices, and that it submit itself to “audits” of academic programs and departments.
On Tuesday, Harvard President Alan Garber said the school would not “negotiate over its independence or its constitutional rights.”
The US president and his administration have justified their pressure campaign on universities as a reaction to what they say is uncontrolled anti-Semitism and support for the Palestinian armed group Hamas.
The anti-Semitism allegations are based on protests against Israel’s war in Gaza that swept across campuses last year.
The White House has also strong-armed dozens of universities and colleges with threats to remove federal funding over their policies meant to encourage racial diversity among students and staff.

Pope Francis thanks doctors who saved his life in meeting at Vatican

Pope Francis thanks doctors who saved his life in meeting at Vatican
Updated 19 min 39 sec ago
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Pope Francis thanks doctors who saved his life in meeting at Vatican

Pope Francis thanks doctors who saved his life in meeting at Vatican
  • The 88-year-old pontiff is gradually making more public appearances as he recovers
  • “Thank you for your service in hospital,” the pope said

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis on Wednesday thanked members of the medical team who saved his life during a five-week hospital stay for a serious case of double pneumonia, speaking softly but breathing without oxygen at the meeting in the Vatican.
The 88-year-old pontiff is gradually making more public appearances as he recovers from the biggest health crisis in his 12 years in the role. On Wednesday morning, he met with about 70 doctors and staffers from Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where he was treated for 38 days.
“Thank you for your service in hospital,” the pope said in a soft, raspy voice. “It is very good. Keep going like this.”
As during his last public appearance, on Sunday, the pope did not use oxygen.
The pope’s medical team have urged him to take two months’ rest after leaving hospital to allow his body to fully heal. Francis initially remained out of view after returning home but has now made several brief public appearances.
The Vatican on Thursday will start its busiest holiday season, with at least six religious celebrations in four days, including Easter, the most important Christian holiday, on Sunday.
It is still not known how much the pope will participate in the events. The Vatican has delegated senior cardinals to lead each of the celebrations in the pope’s place.


Rubio headed to Paris for Ukraine war talks

Rubio headed to Paris for Ukraine war talks
Updated 54 min 34 sec ago
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Rubio headed to Paris for Ukraine war talks

Rubio headed to Paris for Ukraine war talks
  • Rubio is traveling with US envoy Steve Witkoff for talks with European officials
  • Trump’s push for a ceasefire in the war has yet to yield fruit

WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is headed Wednesday to Paris for talks on ending the war in Ukraine, his office said.
The State Department said in a communique that Rubio is traveling with US envoy Steve Witkoff for talks with European officials on advancing President Donald Trump’s goal of ending the war triggered by the Russian invasion of its pro-Western neighbor in 2022.
Trump’s push for a ceasefire in the war has yet to yield fruit, and a Russian missile strike Sunday in the Ukrainian city of Sumy that killed at least 35 people showed how the war is far from over, even as peace overtures are under way.
Witkoff said Monday, three days after holding his third meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, that he himself sees a peace deal “emerging.”
The Paris talks also come as rare discussions between the United States and Iran on Tehran’s nuclear program were held Saturday in Oman. Another round is scheduled for April 19, also in Oman.


EU lists seven ‘safe’ countries of origin, tightening asylum rules

EU lists seven ‘safe’ countries of origin, tightening asylum rules
Updated 16 April 2025
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EU lists seven ‘safe’ countries of origin, tightening asylum rules

EU lists seven ‘safe’ countries of origin, tightening asylum rules
  • The European Commission said it was proposing to designate Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Kosovo, Bangladesh, Colombia, and India as “safe countries of origin“
  • Brussels has been under pressure to clamp down on irregular arrivals and facilitate deportations

BRUSSELS: The European Union on Wednesday published a list of seven countries it considers “safe,” in a bid to speed up migrant returns by making it harder for citizens of those nations to claim asylum in the bloc.
The European Commission said it was proposing to designate Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Kosovo, Bangladesh, Colombia, and India as “safe countries of origin.”
The move, criticized by rights groups, is set to allow EU governments to process asylum applications filed from citizens of those countries more quickly — by introducing a presumption that such claims lack merit.
“Many member states are facing a significant backlog of asylum applications, so anything we can do now to support faster asylum decisions is essential,” said Magnus Brunner, the EU’s commissioner for migration.
Brussels has been under pressure to clamp down on irregular arrivals and facilitate deportations, following a souring of public opinion on migration that has fueled hard-right electoral gains in several countries.
On Wednesday, the commission said EU candidate nations would also in principle meet the criteria to be designated as safe countries.
But it also laid out exceptions, including when they are hit by a conflict — something that would for example exclude Ukraine.
The EU had already presented a similar list in 2015 but the plan was abandoned due to heated debates over whether or not to include Turkiye, another candidate for membership.
The list published Wednesday can be expanded or reviewed over time and was drawn up looking at nations from which a significant number of applicants currently come, the commission said.
Several member states already designate countries they deem “safe” with regard to asylum — France’s list for instance includes Mongolia, Serbia and Cape Verde.
The EU effort aims to harmonize rules and ensure that all members have the same baseline.
States can individually add countries to the EU list, but not subtract from it.
Asylum cases will still have to be examined individually, ensuring that existing safeguards remain in place and asylum-seekers are not rejected outright, the commission added.
The plan has to be approved by the European Parliament and member states before it can enter into force.
But it has already come under fire by human rights groups.
EuroMed Rights, an umbrella group, said some of the countries featured in the EU list suffered from “documented rights abuses and limited protections for both their own citizens and migrants.”
“Labelling them ‘safe’ is misleading — & dangerous,” it wrote on X.
Irregular border crossings detected into the European Union were down 38 percent to 239,000 last year after an almost 10-year peak in 2023, according to EU border agency Frontex.
But led by hawks including Italy, Denmark and the Netherlands, EU leaders called in October for urgent new legislation to increase and speed up returns and for the commission to assess “innovative” ways to counter irregular migration.
Currently less than 20 percent of people ordered to leave the bloc are returned to their country of origin, according to EU data.
Last month the commission unveiled a planned reform of the 27-nation bloc’s return system, which opened the way for member states to set up migrant return centers outside the EU.
Italy’s interior minister Matteo Piantedosi Wednesday hailed the EU’s latest move as “a success for the Italian government.”


France urges release of jailed Russian journalists who covered Navalny

France urges release of jailed Russian journalists who covered Navalny
Updated 16 April 2025
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France urges release of jailed Russian journalists who covered Navalny

France urges release of jailed Russian journalists who covered Navalny
  • A judge sentenced the reporters – Antonina Kravtsova, Konstantin Gabov, Sergei Karelin, and Artem Kriger – who all covered late opposition leader Alexei Navalny time in jail

PARIS: France on Wednesday urged Russia to immediately release four journalists sentenced to long prison terms for their association with the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
Navalny – Putin’s main opponent – was declared an “extremist” by Russian authorities, a ruling that remains in force despite his death in an Arctic penal colony on February 16, 2024.
Moscow also banned Navalny’s organizations as “extremist” shortly before launching its 2022 Ukraine offensive and has ruthlessly targeted those it deems to have links to him.
“France condemns the five-and-a-half-year prison sentences handed down yesterday,” French foreign ministry spokesman Christophe Lemoine said.
A judge sentenced the reporters – Antonina Kravtsova, Konstantin Gabov, Sergei Karelin, and Artem Kriger – who all covered Navalny to “five years and six months in a general-regime penal colony,” an AFP journalist heard.
“The ‘trial of the journalists’ is a new demonstration by the Russian authorities to repress any dissenting opinion and intimidate those who attempt to document the human rights violations for which the Russian government is responsible,” he said.
“France is calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all those prosecuted for political reasons and for Russia to respect its international commitments regarding the right to information and access to information,” Lemoine added.
Kravtsova, 35, is a journalist who worked for the independent SOTAvision outlet.
Gabov, 38, collaborated with Reuters and other foreign outlets, while 42-year-old Karelin, who is also an Israeli citizen, with the Associated Press and Deutsche Welle.
Kriger, 24, the youngest among the accused, covered political trials and protests for SOTAvision.