We asked her a few questions and here’s what she had to say:

What is veganism?

Veganism, by definition, is to ensure that animals are not harmed in the process of human food consumption. It educates people on the fact that we do not need to inflict pain and suffering on other living creatures to sustain. “Factory farming is being referred to as the modern day holocaust,” says Rubaiya Ahmad, the founder of The Bangu Vegan and Obhoyaronno – Bangladesh Animal Welfare Foundation. According to her, more people should consider switching to a vegan diet because it is a proven fact that a plant-based diet is, not just humane, but also a healthier alternative. It is also better for our environment in the long run. Pressing issues such as climate change and global warming can be tackled by switching to this natural and sustainable pathway.

“Since I have worked with animals for many years, the primary reason why I wanted to adopt veganism was because I wanted to endorse animal welfare,” said Ahmad, when asked about her reasons behind converting to a vegan diet. She spoke about how changing her diet has helped her cleanse her mind and soul, how she has experienced the health benefits of Veganism first-hand, and how those experiences have led her to establish the first vegan food service in Bangladesh.

Making Bangladesh Great

Bangladesh is like a petri-dish in a way – there is a lot of potential which is yet uncaptured and which creates a large scope for pioneers. The vegan industry has come a long way, but in Bangladesh, it is just at its initial stages. Keeping that in mind, Ahmad wanted to take a step forward and raise awareness of the benefits of the vegan way of life, and establishing The Bangu Vegan was her way of doing that.

Moreover, Ahmad says that the main purpose of launching a vegan restaurant in Dhaka is that it’s time that we caught up to the rest of the world. The countries outside Bangladesh have progressed very far in this regard and she didn’t want Bangladesh to lag behind in terms of embracing Veganism. She also thought that such a venture would help shine a spotlight on our everyday, fresh produces which would ultimately benefit our domestic farmers. It was a win-win situation in Ahmad’s perspective.

The Bigger Picture

The costs of maintaining a 100% vegan kitchen which is completely single-use-plastic free and the bio-degradable packaging slightly increases the prices of Bangu Vegan’s products, which are slightly more expensive compared to the dishes available in other, non-vegan restaurants. “Despite the cost factor, Bangu Vegan has been doing exceedingly well since its initiation, which tells us that Bangladeshi people always had a hunger for this type of food, but were deprived of its availability and variety,” replied Ahmad, in regards to the prosperous growth of her new initiative.

Furthermore, Ahmad believes that she would have undertaken this venture regardless of whether it would have proven to be feasible or not, because her main objective was advocacy of Veganism, not profitability. According to her, if we want to see our visions be realized in this world, we need to take initiatives that lead to the fulfillment of those visions on our own.

“I am doing my bit by helping people take more conscious decisions. In the future, this campaign may serve as an example for many others who will then propagate and advance the message that we’ve tried to relay. This is how change occurs – a little at a time,” Ahmad said, feeling hopeful about the future of Veganism in Bangladesh.

Bangu Vegan hopes to expand into a private dining experience soon.