Ramadan celebrated by Griffith Muslims with iftar dinner

Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, and is marked by Muslims with a period of fasting and strengthening their relationship to God through worship, acts of charity and kindness.

Ramadan is so important that observing it is regarded as one of the five key pillars of Islam, and runs this year from March 11 to April 9 and the next crescent moon.

Throughout the month, Muslims refrain from eating in daylight hours unless they are children, sick, elderly or pregnant. A predawn 'suhur' is eaten, and the fast is broken by a nightly meal called 'iftar.'

Around 120 of Griffith's Islamic community met at the Riaz Mosque on March 16 for a communal iftar, organised by the Bangladeshi community in town.

Organiser Doctor Meraz Hossain said that the response had been positive, and was already looking forward to putting together other social events in the future - whether for Bangladeshi residents, Islamic residents or with open invitations.

"We had so much food, we were giving it away afterwards. People were telling us 'no, we're so full' so we said 'take it home, put it in the fridge'," he said.

He added that some had travelled out from Wagga or even Melbourne to be here for the Iftar.

"We're all living here very happily, but there aren't so many Bangladeshi families here ... We're trying to extend friendship to everyone, if anyone wants to join us".