Why Chittagong’s Bela biscuit is still popular?

Chittagong’s Bela biscuit is the first biscuit of the subcontinent and is still so popular all over Bangladesh. People introduced this biscuit dish by dipping it in tea from the beginning because it is round, large, and relatively stiff compared to ordinary biscuits. Famous for over 150 years, it is an afternoon tea companion for many people, including Chittagong. Bella’s speciality is that it is made in a clay oven. Bella biscuits are exported to the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Bella is the ancient biscuit of the subcontinent. According to many, Abdul Gani Saudagar was the first to introduce this biscuit in Chittagong, inspired by the Portuguese. Abul Fazal (1903–1983), a writer from Chittagong, mentioned in his book Rekhachitra (1966) written in 1966 that Bela Biscuits were named after a biscuit seller named Belayet Ali of Chandanpura.

Ingredients

Bela biscuit is made from flour, sugar, baking soda, and other secret ingredients. Other ingredients, such as milk, salt, egg, yeast, cinnamon, and fennel powder, could be added.

Gani Bakery

Gani Bakery is located on College Road, also known as Gani Bakery More (intersection) at Chandanpura in Chittagong. It was founded in the 1880s by Abdul Gani Showdagar and is still notable for its Bela biscuits. During World War II, they used to supply baked food items to British soldiers. In 1945, Abdul Gani declared the bakery a Waqf property—a charitable donation that cannot be sold. After Gani’s death at age 105 in 1973, his nephew Danu Mia Showdagar took over the family business. After Danu Mia’s son Jamal Uddin joined the family business in 1987 and was followed by his son Ehtesham in 2012. Every day, 250-300 packets or 10,000-12,000 pieces of Bela biscuit are baked in Gani Bakery.