For Bangladeshis living in Belgium, Eid is more than a religious festival – it is an emotional bridge to home.
Despite being thousands of kilometers away from Bangladesh, the community holds firmly onto the customs and traditions of Eid celebration, striving to recreate a familiar atmosphere in an unfamiliar land.
Yet Eid in Belgium is never quite the same as back home. Unlike Bangladesh, Eid is not a public holiday here unless it coincidentally falls on a weekend. Many begin the day knowing they must soon return to work, classes, or daily responsibilities.
Still, the spirit of Eid refuses to fade.
The day begins early with congregational prayers. In Brussels, hundreds of Bangladeshis gather at Bangladeshi Islamic Cultural Centre Mosque in Brussels, where Eid prayers are usually held in two jamaats to accommodate the crowd.
The Grand Mosque, regarded popularly as the central mosque, and a Moroccan mosque are also popular among Bangladeshis living in or around Brussels for Eid Congregation. In other Belgian cities, expatriates find nearby local mosques to perform their prayers.
In Bangladesh, Eid is synonymous with new clothes, which is not always the case for Bangladeshis in Belgium.
Some enthusiasts, however, keep the tradition alive by bringing clothes from Bangladesh or purchasing them from London, which has emerged as a hub for Bangladeshi traditional fashion.
No matter what, they don’t fail to turn out in traditional Panjabi for congregation, unless they are to directly go to their work after the prayer.
Children growing up here experience a cherished tradition when extended family lives nearby: salami.
Elders give Eid salami to the children to recreate a Bangladesh-like atmosphere and keep the next generation familiar with their culture. Families and friends visit each other, much like they would back home, sharing laughter, prayers, and food.
Food remains the strongest link to Bangladesh. Bangladeshi grocery stores across Belgium stock traditional ingredients, making it possible to prepare all traditional dishes such as shemai, firni, polao, biriyani, roast chicken, beef and mutton curry, chotpoti, fuchka and misti.
Even busy students, often tied down by work or studies, try to gather with friends to share a meal and the joy of the day.
One ritual unites almost all expatriates: video calls to family back home. Often, Eid in Belgium arrives a day earlier than in Bangladesh, creating a bittersweet moment of celebration mixed with longing.
Community initiatives help bridge the gap. In major cities with sizeable population of Bangladeshis like Antwerp and Liège, the expatriate communities usually organize Eid gatherings on a weekend following Eid.
These events feature traditional food, Bangladeshi songs, and dance performances by local artists—small but powerful attempts to recreate a Bangladesh‑like Eid atmosphere.
Even without a public holiday, even amid routine obligations, Bangladeshis in Belgium continue to celebrate Eid with unwavering zeal – proving that home is not just a place, but a shared memory kept alive together.
