Buddhist monastery in Bangladesh opens its doors to feed poor during Ramadan

Record ID: 1986024

  • Title: Buddhist monastery in Bangladesh opens its doors to feed poor during Ramadan
  • Date: 28th March 2025
  • Summary: DHAKA, BANGLADESH (MARCH 26, 2025) (REUTERS) (MUTE) VARIOUS DRONE SHOTS OF DHARMARAJIKA BUDDHIST MONASTERY VARIOUS OF TALL GOLDEN BUDDHA STATUE NEXT TO POND MONASTERY GATE VARIOUS OF WORKERS CARRYING BOXES OF IFTAR MEALS 72-YEAR-OLD RETIRED MASON, ABDUR RAHMAN, SITTING AROUND (SOUNDBITE) (Bengali) 72-YEAR-OLD RETIRED MASON, ABDUR RAHMAN, SAYING: “These people (monks) serve
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: Break Breaking Buddhism Buddhist Dharmarajika Buddhist Monastery Fast Gautam Buddha Iftar Islam Monastery Monks Ramadan Religions
  • Location: DHAKA, BANGLADESH
  • City: DHAKA, BANGLADESH
  • Country: Bangladesh
  • Topics: Asia / Pacific,Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
  • Reuters ID: LVA001190926032025RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:In muslim-majority Bangladesh's capital Dhaka, a golden Buddha statue towers over some local residents breaking fast during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
    The Dharmarajika Buddhist Monastery, the first Buddhist temple in Dhaka built in 1960, has been distributing iftar, Arabic for "break fast", meals to fasting Muslims during Ramadan as an act of goodwill for over a decade.
    The initiative began 13 years ago under the late monastery principal, Sanghanayaka Suddhananda Mahathero, a renowned social worker who was moved by the struggles of his lower-income Muslim neighbours.
    Following his passing in 2020, his disciples have continued the tradition, keeping his legacy alive.
    The monastery distributes an average of 150 meal boxes for iftar, according to Pratap Barua, a coordinator at the monastery, who said that Mathathero was inspired to provide "general people like the street hawkers, rickshaw pullers and day labourers" the ability to have a proper iftar meal.
    Despite Buddhists make up only 0.60 percent of Bangladesh’s total population, according to a 2022 census, the monastery’s ongoing charity work has had a positive impact on the nearby community's lower income residents.
    "This place has embraced us cordially. I’ve managed to gather the courage to come here, and they are serving us beautifully. I don’t beg for iftar from anyone else anymore”, said a retiree who was lining up to receive meal boxes from Barua and the monastery's monks.
    "We often get returning guests from previous years. When they talk to us, share their tales, we feel blessed", said Barua.
    (Production: Sam Jahan, Gabriel Goh)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2025. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register