Halifax Bangladesh Festival brings community closer together - Action News
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Nova Scotia

Halifax Bangladesh Festival brings community closer together

Members of Halifax's growing Bangladeshi community came together this weekendtoput their culture on display at the city's first BangladeshFestival.

Festival featured Bangladeshi food, music, performances and artisanal products

Mashtura Noshin and Lamia Chowdhury started their business, Dorji Boutique about a year ago. (Simon Smith/CBC)

Members of Halifax's growing Bangladeshi community came together this weekendtoput their culture on displayat the city's firstBangladeshFestival.

Visitors to the two-day event hosted at the Halifax Forum enjoyed a mix ofBangladeshi food, music, performances and artisanal products. Art and products from other cultures were also on display.

The festival was organized by Bangladesh-Canada Friendship Society, which is based in Halifax.

The president of the society, AhsanChowdhury,said he's seen the Bangladeshi community grow from about 40 families to around 400 since he moved to Halifax in 2009.

Ahsan Chowdhury is the president of the Bangladesh-Canada Friendship Society. (Simon Smith/CBC)

"This is really important for us to present Bangladeshi culture and heritage,"Chowdhurysaid. "We want to show Halifax, Nova Scotia and Canada that we strongly exist here [and] that we can share our heritage with all [of]Nova Scotia."

Leila Nargis,Chowdhury's wifeand former society vice-president, said the festival is an opportunity to bring the community closer together.

"We do not get to see each other every day ... we almost do not know each other,"Nargissaid. "But, through this event, students and families they all come together and they get to know each other."

Bibi Khadiza, Sabrina Sharmin and Tahmina Gazi studied technology and entrepreneurship at Saint Mary's University. (Simon Smith/CBC)

Bibi Khadiza, Sabrina Sharmin and Tahmina Gazi started their e-commerce platform, called Nova Naree, to help other women who aren't as technologically inclined sell their products online.

The business owners brought products from seven women entrepreneurs six of whom are from Bangladesh and one is from Vietnam to display and sell at the festival.

A dancer performs at the 2022 Bangladesh Festival in Halifax. (Simon Smith/CBC)

The festival also featured various performances, including traditional songs, poems and dances.

Prachi Gabamoved to Halifax from India for school five years ago and sells her art on Instagram. When she heard from a co-worker about the festival, she applied to be a vendor.

Prachi Gaba moved to Halifax from India five years ago for school. (Simon Smith/CBC)

"I have met so many people," Gabasaid. "This is such a colourful festival ... something that makes me feel that, you know, the art is booming around here."

Henna artist Mehnaz Rahman Khan works on a temporary design for a customer. (Simon Smith/CBC)

Chowdhury said he has learned a lot from this year's festival and it exceeded his expectations. He hopes to make it an annual fixture in Halifax.