Ramadan heroes of Bangladesh offer free food, discounts

"Rajib, take buri ma to the back. Give her some food."

Amir Hamza Rasel, the manager of a local hotel in Eskaton, calls out to his young staff as an elderly woman peeks through the curtain at the entrance, seeking food. 

Then, an elderly man creeps in holding a Tk20 bill looking to buy some food. 

"You don't have to pay. Rajib, please pack him some rice, bhaji and dal." 

The manager says as Rajib rushes to serve them. 

This kind gesture feels like a god-send during times like Ramadan, when each year, we see a sharp rise in the commodity prices in Bangladesh. 

We also get to witness subtle acts of kindness on rare occasions – acts that may hold a small value at first glimpse, but as you keep adding to it, it just might turn out to be a much-needed social movement. 

Allah'r Dan cutting out middlemen

Speaking of social movements, I received a message on WhatsApp the other day. 

There were two links, followed by a text.

"Come over, bhai. We have the bazaar continuing tomorrow as well." 

I remember the number. It belongs to a Bidyanondo volunteer. 

But why would he invite me to the bazaar? 

I click one of the links, and it takes me to a Facebook post. 

"2,000 kg of vegetables sold in just one day. Farmers have already started getting higher prices through this store than from middlemen. This initiative proves that if everyone wants, it's possible to stop agricultural produce from going to waste in the fields.

"New products are being added to the "Allah'r Dan" [Allah's Gift] store. Below are the rates for tomorrow's market. Any customer can buy selected vegetables [up to 8 kg]."

The post contained the price of some vegetables: cauliflower Tk8, data (stem spinach) Tk3/bundle, brinjal Tk5/kg, green chilli Tk5/200gm, korola (gourd) Tk16/kg. 

The first thing that caught my attention was the word "any customer". 

I scrolled through a few posts and realised the items in this shop are available for not only the underprivileged or low-income families but everyone. 

The core concept is to buy these products directly from the farmers and then re-sell them at the same price. 

Bidyanondo said since they only offer volunteer work and do not pay any subsidies, the bazaar is not limited to the poor only. As a matter of fact, they keep telling everyone to buy the items or they may go bad as the organisation does not use any chemicals to preserve them. 

The foundation is currently operating two such bazaars, one in Dhaka and another in Chattogram. 

Money is not the only currency

Since the beginning of Ramadan, I have had notifications in the afternoons saying a page named "Bhalo Kajer Hotel - Meal for Good Work" went live. 

Every time I click on the live, it shows food items placed in a row on the sidewalk in different locations in Dhaka with people sitting next to it, waiting for the iftar. 

The main concept of Bhalo Kajer Hotel is to offer food as a reward for good deeds, and it has been in operation for years. 

But during Ramadan, their activities are designed to benefit more people. 

The volunteers of Bhalo Kajer Hotel have been preparing Iftar for 4,500-4,600 while making Sehri for another 800-1,000 every day during Ramadan this year. 

Initiatives not limited to Dhaka

"Are you hungry? Don't have money? Tell me in secret. Tell me and eat anything you want," reads a sign in front of a small shop on the pavement of Finlay Square in Chattogram. 

The shop's owner Nazrul Islam, who used to own a textile business in India said he opened the shop after incurring a huge loss. 

"I almost became a beggar. One day, I had no money to buy iftar and a man bought me some. That day, I realised the plight of those who can't afford to buy food," said Nazrul. 

Nazrul made a promise to himself that if he could ever regain his financial status, he would provide free food for those who are starving.

Now that he started a new business of selling food, he is keeping the promise he made to himself. 

Apart from this, Bidyanondo's store Allah'r Dan has made its way to Chattogram as well, where they collect some of the products directly from hill tracks. 

On 22 March, Munshiganj Seba Kendra offered 200 families in the district town Ramadan essentials for Tk5 only. 

Each bag they bought for Tk5 contained one kilogram of puffed rice, chickpeas, sugar, soybean oil, dates, lentils, and onions.

"After fasting all day, many people in my neighbourhood cannot afford to break the fast by having a glass of sharbat [juice] due to the high cost of sugar. We can't even afford chickpeas or dates," said Masud, a Munshiganj resident. 

"Being able to buy all these for Tk5 only feels surreal," he added.

Sellers placing discounts on certain essentials

At least two shops in Dhaka with both online and physical presence have been selling specific commodities to customers during Ramadan at discounted prices.

Arot, one of such shops, has been selling watermelons to customers in pieces in its Mohammadpur and Kathalbagan outlets while everyone else sold the fruit in kilograms. 

The shop set prices of medium-sized watermelons (5-7kg) to Tk200 and large ones (8-12kg) to Tk250 at a time when each kilogram of the fruit cost Tk80-90 outside.  

Another store — Lalsalu.shop — has been selling mustard oil at a competitive price of Tk990 per 5 litre during Ramadan while fully waiving the delivery charges. 

They usually sell 5 litre bottles of mustard oil at Tk1,090-1,150. 

The beef market has seen some interesting developments over the course of the last few weeks. 

Khalil, a beef seller from the capital's Shahjahanpur, has made headlines already for selling beef only at Tk595, albeit gathering praises and criticisms at the same time from netizens. 

Mohammad Ujjal, another beef seller from the capital's Mirpur, is selling the meat at Tk630, while Noyon Ahmed from Old Dhaka is selling beef at Tk650 per kilogram. 

A little can do a lot

We may think that serving one plate of food to someone just this once is not enough. But imagine, if all of us made it a practice, there are just so many people we can share food with. 

They say that food tastes better once shared. This is not just a cliche. 

One slice of watermelon on a hot summer March day, a glass of chilled lemonade or a plate of Ramadan's classic bhaja-pora items, like beguni, piyaju or aloo'r chop – that's all we want for iftar. 

So why not extend that love for food with another soul who might not be able to afford this delicacy?