Sehri fest trending in Dhaka city

In the wee hours, when most of Dhaka's residents were in bed, hundreds of food enthusiasts gathered at a Sehri fest at Bashundhara International Conven-tion Center yesterday giving it a festive mood. 

A cross-section of people, especially youths, thronged the venue where there were more than 30 food stalls of different kinds. They kept pouring in till 3:00am.

Cricket sensation Mustafizur Rahman arrived at the venue around 2:30am giving the food lovers a big surprise. The crowds gave a big hand for Fiz there. Fans took selfies with him.

Although there were light rains, it did not stop food enthusiasts -- the spacious hall was full to the brim after 1:00am. The number of guests reached well over four thousand on Friday, said organisers.

Youngsters surprised by the grandeur of the event were calling their friends and families to join them. Most of the guests took selfies and posted those on social media. 

The two-night event, titled Coca Cola Sehri Nights, which concluded today, was an initiative of Foodiez, a website that features information and user reviews of eateries in Dhaka.

“Besides the opportunity of having so many of my favourite restaurants under one roof, this event gave me a chance to have a reunion of my college friends,” said Nandita, a banker, who came from Shantinagar.

The menus feature a range of delicacies from burgers and hotdogs to kebab and tandoori chicken to popular Chittagong dishes like beef bhuna and dry fish of salt water.

“Due to heavy traffic, it is nearly impossible to eat out at a restaurant on the other side of the city without spending hours on the road,” said Saif Al Din Abdullah, an automobile engineer, who came with his family of four from Dhanmondi. He, however, added that the price at most of the stalls was higher than the usual.

Syed Ashiqur Rahman, founder of Foodiez, said, “People in Dhaka don't get many choices of recreational activities other than eating out. I wanted to enhance that experience by creating a truly festive environment.”

Although the event is a celebration of the month of Ramadan, it did not draw Muslim visitors only. “I have come to celebrate the event with my neighbours,” said Dipty Adhikary, a school teacher from Old Dhaka.

Owners of various restaurants were seen serving customers and asking for their opinion on various delicacies.

“Nothing can compete with the feeling of satisfaction I get from serving food,” said popular singer Shahidul Islam, who runs a family restaurant called Nawab Chatga, specialising in delicacies of Chittagong.

He added that the event gave him the opportunity to directly interact with many of his customers.