The way we think about veganism has drastically changed in recent years. Beyond fad diets, plant-based and vegan eating movements have gained popularity worldwide and are impacting Bangladesh's food scene to a way of life that aims to balance the health of the earth and human nutrition, not merely abstaining from animal products.

In keeping with these principles, on 23 February 2024, the Vegan Society Bangladesh organised the first-ever Vegan Festival of Bangladesh. The festival's hub included a variety of vegan food stalls where attendees could sample various vegan meal flavours. It was also a terrific chance for non-vegans to sample a range of vegan cuisine!

Alongside documentary screenings, dialogue-sharing sections, and cultural performances, there were also booths featuring sustainable fashion businesses. Wasfia Nazreen, the first mountaineer from Bangladesh to summit K2, the second-highest and most treacherous peak in the world, also joined the event virtually for a session.

When asked about the motivation behind this initiative, Samira Rahman from Vegan Society Bangladesh expressed, "We wanted to portray the message that healthy and tasty food can be made without harming animals. More importantly, being that vegan food is plant-based, it is wise for people to know that it is also good for our health and environment."

The festival attracted a multitude of people as the air became lively with friendliness and interest. According to Samira, globalisation had a significant role in the rise of veganism in Bangladesh. Concerns about climate change, food shortages, and the country's marine ecology were all compelling reasons to give veganism a chance. People also began to become more health-conscious with their food choices on a personal level and ended up liking it!

Among the food stalls at the Festival, Torus Zone had a steady customer stream who were eager to explore their delicacies.

Sadia Afrin, Founder of Torus Zone explained, "Vegan cuisine has a wide range of tastes, depending on the ingredients and cooking techniques used. In contrast to vegetarian cuisine, vegan cuisine usually uses only plant-based components for flavour and texture, excluding animal products including meat, dairy, and eggs."

It looked feasible to make vegan versions of a variety of foods at the festival, including burgers, sandwiches, momos, desserts, and more. A lot of vegan meals were quite flavourful and tasty. The days of boring salads and bland tofu meals associated with plant-based eating are long gone. The eye-catching visual appeal of vivid, colourful foods has drawn in a large audience, piquing interest and motivating people to try these diet options for themselves.

Another noteworthy food stall was Las Vegans, which started its journey in the COVID-19 pandemic. Jennifer Areefin, Founder and a proud vegan herself voiced, "When I started my vegan journey, I had difficulties when going out to eat. There were not good options and so, it was back to plain choices. I took that experience to bring Las Vegans to life because I wanted to connect with other people with similar experiences."

Needless to say, veganism is becoming more popular in Bangladesh. The rise in popularity of vegan and plant-based diets has also been significantly aided by social media and internet platforms.

The Vegan Festival 2024 was an overwhelming success, and the Vegan Society Bangladesh is planning more events in the future to share the word and carry on its mission — one plant-based meal at a time!

The event took place at an apartment building called Shantibari, located in Lalmatia.