At Abul Hasnat Road in Satraowza, Old Dhaka, the aroma of sizzling paratha and simmering halim drifts through the narrow lanes every afternoon during Ramadan. Inside the century-old Ananda Confectionery, customers crowd the counters, carrying forward a culinary tradition that has endured for more than a hundred years.
Established in 1920, the bakery has grown into a cherished name among residents of Old Dhaka and beyond. Its iftar offerings, rooted in tradition and family recipes, draw customers from across the capital, with many travelling from outside Dhaka to savour its signature items.
A wide range of delicacies awaits customers each Ramadan. Among the most popular are chicken tikka, chapli kebab, nimak para, chicken kofta, chicken paratha, tana paratha, paneer paratha, chicken drumstick, chicken cutlet, chicken sizzler, doi bora, firni, jilapi and halim.
Mohammad Ramjan, who travelled from Gazipur to buy iftar items for his family of five, said, “I have bought tana paratha and dudh malai and will purchase some other items as well. My family loves traditional food from this shop.”
“I grew up eating their food. The taste hasn’t changed,” he added.
Echoing him, Emtiazur Rahman, now a resident of Hatirpool but raised in Old Dhaka, said Ramadan feels incomplete without a visit to the shop.
“I come here for their halim, jilapi and other special items. Due to traffic and work, I cannot come every day, but during Ramadan I manage to visit three to four times to buy my favourite items,” he said.
Nayeem Ahmed from Wari recently rediscovered the bakery’s jilapi and returned on Sunday for more. “I found it very delicious, so I came again,” he said.
During Ramadan, the bakery sells around 60 different items daily. Among the most sought-after are sutli kebab paratha, murg musallam, beef halim, jilapi and chicken lollipop.
Even well-known food entrepreneurs frequent the shop. On Sunday afternoon, Haji Babul, owner of the popular Nanna Biriyani, was seen purchasing iftar items.
“I don’t usually come myself; my family members buy from here. Today I purchased paneer samosa and nimki,” he said.
Junayed Ahmed, a fourth-generation member of the owning family, said the confectionery’s journey began with his great-grandfather, Chan Mian, in 1920.
“My great-grandfather started the business in Faridpur. Later it shifted to Raowza on a small scale at home and gradually expanded,” he said.
Besides its main outlet in Old Dhaka, Ananda Confectionary now has branches at Jahangir Gate and Wari. The shops operate from 8:00am to 10:00pm, while the main outlet remains open until midnight, he added.
Abdul Karim, a third-generation member of the owning family, said the bakery maintains its tradition by selling exclusively on a retail basis and focusing on quality over expansion.
