Some from the Bangladeshi community enjoying a meal at a hotel during Hari Raya in past years.
BANGLADESHI students say they are missing their family, friends and food from home as they mark Hari Raya Aidilfitri in Malaysia.
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) software engineering student Mahmud Alom said the festival in Malaysia was incomplete without his parents and siblings.
Due to lockdown restrictions over the past two years, some of the Bangladeshi students in UPM took to cooking their own meals.
For the festival, which they call Eid-ul-Fitr, they would cook a modest feast at home with the help of friends.
UPM statistics student Sarah Rahman said that in previous years, they cooked traditional dishes such as khicudi, beef bhuna and firni and ate the meal together.
“However, we miss eating some of our favourite traditional food like kacchi biryani, coconut vermicelli, chotpoti, fuchka, Jorda, kheer and nawabi semai,” she added.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the Bangladeshi community in UPM used to organise a grand feast during Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
UPM business administration student Meghna Khondokar said those involved had already returned home.
“Those of us who remain here don’t have sufficient time and money so we are not holding any big feast this year,” she added.
Some Bangladeshi students, including Mahmud, made do with a meal at a restaurant to spend time with their friends on Hari Raya.
Usually, Bangladeshi students at UPM would also take the opportunity to go on holiday in Malaysia during Hari Raya.
Sarah said she made plans to visit Putrajaya with her friends while Mahmud headed to Ipoh for his festive break.
Some from the Bangladeshi community enjoying a meal at a hotel during Hari Raya in past years.
Authentic Bengali cuisine served to guests in a Bangladeshi home during Hari Raya.
