Open air iftar: Festive atmosphere at JU

Just before the evening rolls out, small groups of students start gathering on the central playground of Jahangirnagar University.

They sit in circles. One after another, soon the circles fill up the entire open space. They are preparing for an important evening meal of Ramadan -- iftar.

This has become an everyday scene on the JU campus during the fasting month. They come here for no special food, but to  enjoy their time together.

“Iftar time is a great opportunity for us to meet up and bond,” said Ashikur Rahman, a student of mathematics, and president of a JU-based cultural group.

“We usually don't miss any chance of having iftar here,” he said.

He was there to enjoy iftar with members of the organisation.

In addition to the playground, there are other popular open-air venues on the campus as well -- the premises of Teacher-Student Centre (TSC), the cafeteria, Central Shaheed Minar, Bottola, business studies faculty and rooftops of dormitories.

Like most others, the students here also have the same items on the menu -- piyaju, beguni, jilapi, muri, chickpea, fruits and biriyani -- but the environment is what matters to them most.

“We are away from our families, but this open-air arrangement with our friends together makes up for that to a great extent. That's why we prefer this place to a good restaurant,” said Afrin Mim, a master's student of journalism and media studies.

“Probably this Ramadan will be the last for our batch here on the campus. So, we organise the iftar party almost every day here, sit around with all sorts of food heaped on newspaper sheets and enjoy those together,” she said.

Not only the groups of close friends, but various cultural, social, and political organisations also arrange iftar programmes at this place.

Many students bring iftar items prepared at their dormitories and share those with each other. For the others, there are makeshift shops across the campus. Just an hour before the iftar time, the stores get busy selling iftar delicacies. Hall canteens, food shops and tea stalls also do the same.

Alongside current students, the alumni also come to the campus to revisit their memories and have a good time together.

“I have so many memories here,” said Tofayel Ahmed, former president of Leo Club at the university and now a government employee, who travelled all the way from Dhaka.

“I came here with my friends to have iftar together and most importantly, to have a good time,” he said.