The question was as innocent as it was unexpected.
“Uncle, do you fast?”
For a brief moment outside a mosque in Banani on Friday afternoon, the weight of state affairs seemed to dissolve into the warmth of childhood curiosity. Standing amid a small crowd of eager faces, Tarique Rahman paused, smiled, and gently held the child’s hand.
“Yes, I do,” he replied.
It was a quiet exchange, but one that transformed an ordinary Jummah afternoon into a scene of laughter, pride and shared belonging.
From solemn prayer to spontaneous joy
Moments earlier, the Prime Minister had said Jummah prayers at the central mosque of the Bangladesh Navy Headquarters Mosque. Inside, the atmosphere had been solemn and reflective. Outside, it quickly turned lively.
Children gathered around him without hesitation. Some waved. Others simply stared, wide-eyed. A few edged closer, emboldened by curiosity.
According to his Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon, what followed was unplanned and unhurried.
The Prime Minister asked the children how they were. They responded eagerly, their voices overlapping. When he asked if they fasted, their answer came in chorus:
“We also fast.”
One child stepped forward confidently. “Assalamu Alaikum, Uncle,” he said, before adding with disarming honesty, “I fasted all except today.”
Tarique Rahman smiled and patted his head. “That’s good,” he said.
Another child, unable to contain his pride, declared, “Uncle, I fasted all the days.”
“Very good,” the Prime Minister replied, his words simple but affirming.
A moment children will remember
There were no speeches. No formalities. Just handshakes, gentle pats on the head, and photographs that captured pure excitement.
The children’s laughter echoed across the mosque courtyard. Some clung to the moment, reluctant to let it end. Others waved enthusiastically.
Nearby, Zubaida Rahman, who had offered prayers in the women’s section, emerged quietly.
As he prepared to leave, the Prime Minister turned once more to the children.
“Allah Hafez,” he said.
Their reply came instantly.
“Uncle, please pray for us.”
He waved before stepping into his vehicle, leaving behind a group of children still smiling, still talking, still holding onto a moment that, for them, had turned a simple Friday into something unforgettable.
For those children, the Prime Minister was not a distant figure of authority that afternoon. He was simply “Uncle.”
Source: UNB