Turkish coffee, culture gain popularity in Bangladesh
On World Turkish Coffee Day, which is celebrated every year on December 5, here is a look at how Turkish coffee and culture are gaining popularity in Bangladesh.
Turkish coffee was added to UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on December 5, 2013.
Traditional Turkish coffee is gaining popularity in Bangladesh, especially in the capital Dhaka, thanks to its unique taste and its status as an icon of lifestyle.
Shafin Azad, a resident of Mirpur area in capital Dhaka, shared his experience of a Turkish movie, coffee and cuisine.
The teenager organised a weekend get-together with his five cousins, sister, and sister-in-law, saw.
“After enjoying movie time, we choose to visit a Turkish cafe near the complex zone to take in Turkish coffee and cuisine to complete our weekend fun and get refreshed over sips of coffee,” he said.
“For coffee lovers, coffee is no simple drink, but rather a lifestyle, a feeling and a refreshment,” Turkish cafe owner, Md Faysal, 33, told Anadolu Agency.
An official at Istanbul Restaurant in Dhaka told AA that the establishment imports coffee beans from Turkey.
The restauran prepares the coffee using a traditional Turkish method.
Coffee day to explore tradition
Turkish coffee was added to UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on December 5, 2013. Since then, World Turkish Coffee Day has been celebrated every year.
It is celebrated to promote Turkey’s 500-year-old coffee culture and its significant historical value while building cultural bonds.
Swapan Das, the manager of Turkish Bazaar & Restaurant in the Banani area of Dhaka, told AA that there is a difference between Turkish coffee and other varieties, like in the West and the Indian sub-continent.
“Turkish cuisine is gaining in popularity more than ever, certainly among young people. Bangladeshis not only come to have a sip of coffee but also to be introduced to Turkish culture and tradition through traditional items we import from Turkey for visitors.”
Since the restaurant and store was founded in 2012, it has seen the number of similar establishments rise, he said.
“We have Turkish ceramic items, pots, showpieces, and traditional dresses for sale.”
“The sale of those items is good, and people are fascinated to wear traditional clothes to feel the (spirit of) popular Turkish TV series based on the legendary accounts of historical figures from the Ottoman and Seljuk Empires on Bangladeshi TV channels,” he said.
Turkish people and traders who visit Bangladesh also stop in to enjoy Turkish coffee, he said.
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