Midnight steaks and old friendships: sehri nights in Dhaka

Ramadan nights in Dhaka are not just about food -- they are about friendship, memory, and the joy of gathering.

Ramadan turns the city into a place where sehri is both spiritual and social, a celebration of bonds that endure beyond the meal itself. There is a duality to these nights -- faith and festivity, reflection and indulgence. Sehri is not just about preparing for the fast; it has become a ritual of togetherness.

For many, it is a chance to reconnect, share stories, and savour the rare quiet of Dhaka at three in the morning.

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Rickshaws rattle through quiet streets, tea stalls glow under single bulbs, and the rush of traffic softens into a hum. However, this lull after iftar fades as soon as Tarawih ends. Dhaka is anything but sleepy, because in this lunar month the midnights are not for rest.

It is the hour when sehri seekers step out, tempted by the smoky aroma of kebabs drifting into the night. People go for all kinds of gourmet delights, from crispy ghee-fried paratha with murg musallam to bowls of hearty soup.

This year, meaty dishes are especially popular with the young crowd. Steakhouses and grills across the city stay open until dawn, their neon signs shining on sehri seekers.

After weighing several options -- Steakout, Meat Theory, Wood House Grill, and Steak & Marrow -- we finally settled on Steak & Marrow, drawn by reviews and the lure of its packages.

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The welcome was immediate. Staff greeted us warmly, their service polished yet personal. We chose a sehri package priced at BDT 2,400, reduced to BDT 1,600 as a Ramadan discount.

The spread was hearty: a rare-medium steak, rice, salted vegetables, mushrooms and sausage, and a small bun. The steak was tender and flavourful, its char balanced by earthy vegetables and the richness of the sides. Presentation was simple but satisfying -- no frills, just honest food meant to be enjoyed in good company.

The day’s tiredness vanishes the moment you see your friends or family. The raucous energy inside swells as the food arrives, laughter rising above the clink of cutlery as we joined that tide of nocturnal diners.

Outside, vendors serve parathas, beef curry, and steaming cups of cha to those who prefer tradition over trend.

But the night was never just about food. Around the table sat four friends bound by more than appetite. We are all former students of Government Laboratory High School, our bond stretching back more than a decade.

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Beside me was Tazbeer Masnoon Dip, navigating the corporate world as a merchandising officer. Across the table sat Sakib Shahari, a businessman thriving in Chawkbazar’s bag trade. At the far end, Surid Shaharia Zaman, a young entrepreneur, spoke of his start-up, while I am a system engineer at Amber IT.

The laughter, the stories, even the silences between bites -- all carried the weight of years. Ramadan has always been a month of reflection, but that night it was also about renewal.

For us, sehri was more than a meal. It was a reminder that even as life pulls us in different directions -- into IT systems, merchandising, business, and start-ups -- the ties of friendship remain unbroken.

In the glow of Steak & Marrow’s midnight lights, with steak on our plates and memories in our hearts, we celebrated not just Ramadan, but the enduring bond that began in the classrooms of Government Laboratory High School.

SEHRI SPOTS WORTH KNOWING

Durbin Bangla Restaurant, Mohakhali

Known for its homestyle Bangla flavours, Durbin Bangla draws late-night crowds with hearty sehri plates. Popular items include beef curry, parathas, and khichuri -- served in generous portions at affordable prices. The atmosphere is lively, with families and groups of friends filling the space until just before Fajr.

Abesh Restaurant, Mirpur

A rising favourite among Mirpur residents, Abesh offers a mix of traditional and modern sehri dishes. Their handi beef and fried parathas are especially popular, often paired with steaming cups of tea. The restaurant has become a local hub, where young diners gather to enjoy sehri in a more casual, neighbourhood setting.