Ramadan without family: How young Bangladeshis living abroad cope

During Ramadan, people focus on religious practices while sharing spiritual support. Muslims worldwide experience the essential spirit of Ramadan through their shared practice of prayer worship combined with fasting and social festivities.

Muslims in our country experience iftars filled with love and gratitude through prayer calls across the streets, where lively vendor stalls appear to serve those who have ended their fasting period.

Young Bangladeshis abroad discover a different path when experiencing Ramadan because it leads them down a solitary path of independence, which becomes more potent than expected.

Sidrat Evan, a student at the University of Saskatchewan, expresses his bittersweet experience from Saskatchewan, Canada.

"Although homesickness never goes away during Ramadan. Yet, we discover new people in the foreign land who are no less than a family in our present environment, and they sincerely care about each other during this time."

His perspective shows that the first adjustment year remains challenging yet improves when students gain companions and college friends; it gets easier.

The discovery of family among different groups provides essential support to numerous people. For young expatriates, the feeling of missing family during Ramadan strengthens, but they discover ways to establish new relationships in their new host nations.

According to Sartaj Bin Lutful, who lives in Calgary, Alberta, and pursues his studies at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, his transition from a familiar to an independent life has brought massive changes.

One difference in celebrating Ramadan outside your home country comes from the loss of family rituals since parents do not wake you for morning meals, and you miss shared evening break times. But it's a time to grow. He says, "Living away from family means navigating Ramadan independently—preparing meals alone, waking up for sehri without a mother's gentle reminder, and attending Taraweeh without familiar faces by your side. The feeling of isolation can be overwhelming, especially when managing academic responsibilities alongside fasting."

His point of view also denotes that the Muslim communities in foreign lands exhibited incredible generosity during this time. Islamic centres and mosques welcome their community through invitations to sehri and iftar sessions, strengthening unity.

The gatherings unite people who are strangers at first into communal friends, while group prayer develops a spiritual connection between individuals regardless of origins or nationalities.

Living in Adelaide, South Australia, and being a University of Adelaide student, Bibek describes his experience with somberness.

He says, "Being in a foreign country during Ramadan without parental presence creates an empty void similar to a black hole. I miss Mother's callings for Iftar and Sehri, but wiping the tears, life is moving on here. May Allah accept our sacrifices."

Student life during Ramadan becomes heavier due to homesickness since they dive between busy schedules and examination responsibilities. Living in Hamburg, Germany, Saleheen Siddique, a student at Technische Universität Hamburg, describes the relentless pace of life.

He said, "Today, I am preparing the iftar feast alongside friends from different nations. But it gets difficult due to exams and tight schedules."

The experience of Ramadan presents significant difficulties to most Bangladeshis despite the interesting mix of cultures that excites them. Despite the challenges, many find solace and strength in the experience of Ramadan abroad. Ramadan period makes coping difficult, yet young Bangladeshis may also get a beneficial advantage by seeking improvements in their spirituality while developing personally.

Separating from household members during Ramadan makes them achieve surprising improvements in themselves by learning to be self-dependent. People find this month essential for accruing knowledge about themselves while deepening ties with the Almighty Allah and spiritual understanding.

Although time gets hard, Bangladeshis succeed in transforming Ramadan into meaningful experiences while demonstrating their ability to overcome challenges with strength.

Through mosque community meals, students experience happiness while their close friendships form the foundation of student camaraderie, and the sacrifices carry religious importance.

By engaging in this journey, most people develop a spiritual transformation through personal development, appreciation, and adjustment capabilities.

Resilience, community backing, and faith enable overseas Muslims to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan. Foreign Ramadan experiences are about personal development and cultural assimilation, which results in building new connections when one lives in a new country.

Young Bangladeshis uphold their traditions and faith while experiencing Ramadan outside their family homes by bringing a small part of their family rituals with them, which provides spiritual support. The lessons of patience and gratitude, together with the value of human connection, guide them toward spiritual and personal growth. Throughout the distance from home, a constant longing strengthens their reverence for the bonds that form the essence of Ramadan no matter where they are located.

Samiha Mamun is an undergraduate student at the Army Institute of Business Administration (Army IBA), affiliated with the Bangladesh University of Professionals in Savar, Dhaka. She can be reached at samihamamunmeem@gmail.com