Bangladeshis have created new businesses, won elected positions, and shared stories of their favorite recipes. Saa Nasta brings you the top 10 stories of the year - from entrepreneurs to people finding ways to cope with the pandemic.
Check out these 10 moments of Bangladeshi food and culture from 2021.
Bangladeshi sisters provide community-based services. Sisters Tahura Holly, Jahura Hobby, and Humayra Bobby opened their own small businesses to fill different needs they saw in Metro Detroit. Hobby says she enjoys the freedom of being her own boss, while Holly and Bobby wanted to provide the services they needed themselves. Their sister Shakira Khanam helps them differently in each of their businesses. All say they were drawn to giving back to build community.
Women worldwide wear head coverings for World Hijab Day. In 2013 Nazma Khan created World Hijab Day observed on February 1 in response to being harassed while living in New York post 9/11. She wanted to create awareness about head coverings worn by women from across cultures and religions. Now women from 190 countries participate in World Hijab Day.
The embassy of Bangladesh visits Michigan. In March the Embassy of Bangladesh created popup consular services for nearly 2,000 Michiganders who needed visa services. The embassy comes once or twice a year for a growing number of Bangladeshis who would otherwise have to travel to Washington D.C. or New York for similar services. Due to increased demand, many Bangladeshis say there’s a need for a permanent office.
Lifestyle blogger celebrates Bangladeshi heritage through fusion foods. Mohammed Razon was just eight years old when he learned how to make baath biran, Bangladeshi-style fried rice before going to weekend masjid school. Then over the years Razon and his brother would create recipes for a quick bite to eat. He says he started creating fusion foods, using the Bangladeshi taste palette to get his parents to try new cuisines.
This year some businesses closed while others found ways to stay open. Nazmun Nahar is one of those home-based businesses that found ways to serve people during the pandemic. Nahar says she enjoys baking as an art form. She uses Bangladeshi and Islamic-themed designs in some of her cake decorating. Nahar opened her online business on Instagram @brownsugar_nazu in October 2018. “I am grateful to create and to be able to create for people,” she says.
Wedding Videographer Tufail Uddin and Photographer Mohtashim Mahin opened a small business to create new opportunities after weddings were canceled. The duo needed a place to expand their creative abilities while creating a space to give small businesses an opportunity to gather during the pandemic. Their story was featured in WDET’s Communities of Hope Series.
This year Muslims were able to worship in moderation at mosques. But for many people, they had to still find ways to worship at home and make the best of their situations. Getting your kids involved in the Ramadan spirit was a part of creating new traditions during the pandemic.
February 21 is International Mother Language Day. The United Nations recognized International Mother Language Day in 1999 to commemorate a day of sacrifice for people who died Feb. 21, 1952 to preserve the Bangla language in protests at Dhaka University. West Pakistan required East Pakistanis, whose native language was Bangla, to speak Urdu only leading to the protests. This led up to Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan in 1971. Bangladesh is the only country that fought a war over preserving the language. Language Day celebrates native languages around the world.
Bangladeshi women entrepreneurs tell their stories. This year I completed the South Asian American Digital Archive’s archival fellowship program, documenting 10 oral histories of Metro Detroit Bangladeshi women who found ways to create businesses while holding onto culture and traditions. These women - from a pharmacist to make-up artist - created businesses beyond brick-and-mortars that worked best for them while serving the community. The oral histories are part of a digital archive and a special podcast series on Bengalis of New York or here.
How do we seek hope and joy while getting through the pandemic? The pandemic is a reminder to take care of each other and our own mental health. Despite the odds, we were given a chance to reflect, reexamine and repurpose our lives. We learned to persevere by doing things that make us happy like cooking homemade Bangladeshi meals, feeding people, and giving back to those most in need even while social distancing and staying vigilant. Some people like Sadya Chowdhury found ways to pursue their dreams by opening a new business. Let’s keep the hope alive in 2022!
What were some of your favorite moments from Saa Nasta’s 2021 coverage? Share them with us at thesaanasta@gmail.com or on socials at @thesaanasta.