BETWEEN TWO SHORES: A HISTORICAL ANALYSIS OF BANGLADESHI DIASPORA, IDENTITY, AND INFLUENCE IN THE UNITED STATES

Abstract

This thesis explores the history and everyday lives of Bangladeshi immigrants in the United States, with a focus on New York City. It looks at when and why they arrived, built strong communities, kept their culture alive, and contributed to life in the United States. The study begins by explaining why people left Bangladesh. Some left because of the violence and displacement during the 1971 Liberation War. Others left because of poverty, political instability, or natural disasters. At the same time, changes in U.S. immigration laws in the 1960s made it easier for people from Bangladesh to move to the United States. Later, more people arrived through family sponsorship and community networks. The thesis follows Bangladeshis who settled mostly in Jackson Heights and Jamaica in Queens, New York, where the largest Bangladeshi populations are found today. These neighborhoods became important places for the community. People opened grocery stores, started newspapers, built mosques, and created organizations to help each other. These places became cultural and religious centers that helped newcomers feel at home in a new country. The primary work of this thesis is two public history projects. The first is a walking tour of Jackson Heights and Jamaica. The tour guides people through important Bangladeshi places, such as restaurants, grocery shops, mosques, media offices, and cultural centers. The second project is a collection of oral history interviews with Bangladeshi immigrants. These include people who arrived as adults in the 1990s and 2000s, as well as young adults who were born in the U.S. or came as children. Many of them suggested sites for the walking tour and joined me in visiting them. Their personal stories help us understand how migration, identity, and community shape real lives. These voices offer valuable insight that is often missing from books or official records. By combining historical context, a walking tour, and oral histories, this thesis creates a meaningful record of the Bangladeshi experience in Queens. It helps future researchers understand immigration and identity, and it honors the lives of people who made new homes in New York. For Bangladeshi Americans, it is a way to see their stories respected and remembered. For others, it offers a way to learn about a rich and growing community that has become an important part of New York City’s cultural life.