How 'iftar parties' became an integral part of Bangladesh's political culture

Every year, as the month of Ramadan approaches, the ritual of the 'iftar party' takes on a special significance for political parties in the country. They use this occasion to mobilise their leaders, activists, and supporters, and to foster mutual understanding among other parties, various social groups, and foreign diplomats.

While the tradition of 'iftar politics' began in the country during the '80s, it has quickly become an integral part of the country's political culture in just a few decades.

In the past, iftar parties were only held in mosques, political party offices, or the residences of leaders. However, with changing times, they are now often hosted in five-star hotels and elite convention centres.

In addition to the two major political parties in the country, numerous small and large parties organise thousands of iftar parties during Ramadan.

The tradition of political parties organising iftar parties in Bangladesh is relatively new as before and immediately after independence, there was no such custom. Politicians in that time used to visit people's homes during Ramadan to conduct political campaigns, just like they do throughout the year.

Nowadays, iftar parties have become so popular that political parties feel a sense of competition with each other to organise larger and more impressive events than their rivals.

Dr Syed Anwar Hossain, former history professor at Dhaka University, says the tradition of political parties organising iftar events is a relatively recent phenomenon that did not exist during the Pakistan period. 

"As far as I can recall, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman never hosted an iftar party in Bangladesh after independence.

"However, nowadays iftar parties have become an integral part of politics. I know some individuals who attend iftar parties for at least 15 days during the month of Ramadan. Political parties utilise these gatherings to continue their activities, as it can be challenging to organise meetings and processions during Ramadan," he said.

The distinguished historian also said that Maulana Bhashani, who was not only a political leader but also a religious figure, never hosted an iftar party. Instead, he conducted political campaigns by visiting people door-to-door in villages.

"In the '80s, the then dictator Hussain Muhammad Ershad started organising iftar parties as the president. At that time he began to use religion in politics. During the military regime, when open politics was prohibited, the political parties tried to gather in different places in the name of iftar parties."

Author and columnist Dr Salimullah Khan said, "Party means a gathering. That is, organising a gathering on the occasion of iftar is a kind of a ritual. And politics is a kind of event or institution. Sometimes a ritual is needed to spice up this event."

He added, "Not only in our country, but in the whole world, warfare was forbidden in the month of Ramadan even before Islam. After the Islamic revolution in Iran in 1978, something new emerged. Especially after Ziaul Haq came to power in Pakistan, many old religious rituals started to be revived for political purposes."

Dr Salimullah Khan said that after the war of independence in 1971, when the political role of the middle class in Bangladesh ended, religion was imported into politics to give it an artificial life. It started from the era of Ershad.

"Having iftar is not the issue. The problem arises when political rallies are held around iftar. If the tradition of iftar parties started after independence, it may have a sociological explanation.

"The leaders who led the liberation war of Bangladesh were from the middle class. However, the role of the political middle class ended, in a way, after 1971. A different kind of politics was necessary at that time, but when we failed to do so, the void was filled by the integration of religion into politics. As a consequence, the prevalence of political iftar increased," he further explained.

When asked whether political parties choose iftar parties as an alternative to protesting on the streets, Tofail Ahmed, a senior politician and member of the advisory committee of the Awami League, replied, "General Ershad was the first to start the tradition of iftar parties. However, this tradition has evolved significantly since the introduction of parliamentary democracy in the country.

"This custom is now not limited among the political parties only, it has become a social practice," he said.

The veteran politician said that many people use the iftar party as a political platform, it does not match the ideological spirit of our liberation war.

He said, "The iftar party has now become a social occasion, and anyone in the state or a political party can host one like a get-together. However, using the event for political gain does not align with the true purpose of Ramadan."

The politician also mentioned that political speeches given at certain political parties' iftar parties do not align with the fundamentals of Islam. Anyone who uses the iftar party as a political tool is actually undervaluing the importance of Ramadan.

Furthermore, during iftar parties, an organisation that is opposed to the liberation war and a major political party have been known to make anti-national allegations to diplomats, which undermines the true significance of Ramadan, said Tofail Ahmed.

Syed Anwar Hossain said, "The iftar party has become a competitive event, but if political leaders can change their approach towards this tradition and use it as an opportunity to develop respect and understanding among themselves, then it can bring about positive outcomes."