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Bengali Americans

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Not to be confused with Bangladeshi Americans or Indian Americans.
Bengali Americans
মার্কিন বাঙালি
Markin Bangali
The language spread of Bengali in the United States according to U. S. Census 2000
Total population
453,191 (0.14%, est.) speak Bengali alone or in combination[1]
Regions with significant populations
New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, Milwaukee, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Miami, Minneapolis, Houston, Dallas, Seattle, Denver, Los Angeles,[2] San Francisco
Languages
Bengali, English
Religion
[8][9][10][11][12][13]
Related ethnic groups
Bangladeshi Americans, Indian Americans

Bengali Americans (Bengali: মার্কিন বাঙালি) are American nationals or residents who ethnically, linguistically and genealogically identify as Bengalis. They trace their ancestry to the historic ethnolinguistic region of Bengal region, now divided between Bangladesh and West Bengal, India. Bengali Americans are also a subgroup of modern-day Bangladeshi Americans and Indian Americans.[14]

Bengali Americans may refer to:

Immigration

[edit]

Early Phase: From the 19th Century to 1947

[edit]

The earliest recorded presence of Bengalis in the United States dates back to the late nineteenth century. During this period, two distinct patterns of Bengali immigration can be identified.

The first group consisted primarily of peddlers and silk merchants from the Hooghly district of West Bengal. Around 1885, they began arriving in port cities such as New York, Baltimore, and New Orleans, where they sold handkerchiefs, shawls, and silk textiles. Over time, these traders expanded their commercial networks into areas such as New Jersey and Memphis.[15][16]

The second group comprised lascars or seamen from eastern Bengal (present-day Bangladesh), particularly from Chittagong, Noakhali, and Sylhet. Employed on British ships, many of these sailors deserted their vessels at ports such as New York or San Francisco to escape harsh and inhumane working conditions, subsequently finding informal employment and settling there. In order to survive within the racially segregated society of the United States at the time, these immigrants often entered into marital relationships with African American or Puerto Rican communities. This process gave rise to a unique hybrid culture, exemplified by what came to be known as Bengali Harlem. This pattern of migration continued until the Partition of 1947, and these early migrants laid the foundational roots of the Bengali presence in the United States.[15][16]

1947–1990

[edit]

Following the Partition of British India in 1947, the pace of Bengali immigration to the United States slowed temporarily, but it began to increase again during the 1960s. A major turning point came with the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, also known as the Hart–Celler Act, which fundamentally transformed U.S. immigration policy.[17] The Act abolished the racially discriminatory quota system and opened the door to highly educated and skilled professionals.[18]

As a result, large numbers of doctors, engineers, and academics from then East Pakistan and West Bengal migrated to the United States during this period. These immigrants generally came from middle-class or upper-middle-class backgrounds, and their primary motivations were professional advancement and higher education.

After the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, additional factors such as political instability and economic hardship contributed to emigration from Bangladesh. During the 1970s, an estimated 4,000 Bangladeshis immigrated to the United States, and this rate increased rapidly from the 1980s onward. According to the 1990 census, approximately 7,592 Bengalis were living in the state of New York, while the total Bengali population in the United States stood at around 29,000.[19]

1990 to the Present

[edit]

The Immigration Act of 1990, particularly the introduction of the Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery, brought about the largest wave in the history of Bengali immigration to the United States. This program enabled members of ordinary middle-class and lower-middle-class families to immigrate to the United States without requiring advanced degrees or specialized professional skills. As a result, the demographic composition of the Bengali community underwent a significant transformation, leading to increased occupational diversity.

Today, this community has consolidated its position not only as a group of professionals but also as small business owners, politicians, and cultural activists, reflecting a broadening social, economic, and civic presence in American society.[20]

Period Type of Immigration Primary Causes Main Settlement Areas
1881–1947 Lascars and silk merchants Trade and desertion from British ships New Orleans, Harlem, Baltimore
1948–1970 Highly educated professionals Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 Suburban New York, California
1971–1990 Refugees and skilled workers Bangladesh Liberation War and political changes Queens (New York), Detroit
1991–2025 DV Lottery migrants and family-based immigration Immigration Act of 1990 and economic opportunities Jackson Heights, Hamtramck, Paterson

Demographic & Geographic Distribution

[edit]

According to estimates from the Pew Research Center (2023) and other sources (2025), more than 350,000 people of Bangladeshi origin currently reside in the United States.[21][22][23][4] When Bengali-speaking populations from India (primarily West Bengal and Tripura) are included, the total number of Bengali speakers exceeds 400,000. Over the past two decades, this population has experienced a remarkably rapid growth rate. While the number stood at only around 40,000 in 2000, it increased by approximately 569 percent by 2023.

Little Bangladesh sign at New Hampshire and 3rd Street
Bangladesh street at Jackson Heights
Areas with a significant Bengali population

Bengali Americans tend to concentrate primarily in major metropolitan areas across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Great Lakes regions. New York City can be regarded as the capital of Bengali Americans, as nearly 40 percent of the total Bengali population in the United States resides there.[24] Within the city, the highest concentration is found in the borough of Queens, which is home to approximately 60 percent of New York’s Bengali population.[25] In particular, Jackson Heights and Jamaica are widely recognized as the principal commercial and cultural hubs of the Bengali community.

The city of Hamtramck in the state of Michigan represents a unique case, where approximately 25 percent (according to 2019 data) of the total population is Bengali.[26] The city is also notable for being the first in the United States to form a Muslim-majority city council, in which Bengalis played a central role. Significant Bengali communities are also present in Paterson and Atlantic City in New Jersey. In addition, Los Angeles, California, is home to a formally recognized neighborhood known as Little Bangladesh. Growing concentrations of upper-middle-class and middle-class Bengali families can also be observed in Dallas and Houston, Texas, as well as in various suburban areas of Virginia and Maryland.[25]

The United States is home to roughly 450,000 Bengalis, with over 350,000 of them originating from Bangladesh.[3][4][27]
  1. Bangladesh or Bangladeshi origin (80.0%)
  2. India or Indian origin (20.0%)
State Estimated Population (2025) Major Cities Notable Areas
New York Around 150,000 New York City, Buffalo Jackson Heights, Jamaica
Michigan Around 30,000 Hamtramck, Detroit, Warren Hamtramck (approximately 25% Bengali)
California Around 25,000 Los Angeles, San Francisco Little Bangladesh
Texas Around 20,000 Dallas, Houston, Irving Irving
New Jersey 15,000–18,000 Paterson, Jersey City Paterson 2nd Ward

Religious Diversity

[edit]

Bengali Americans constitute a religiously diverse community. Although Muslims form the majority, the presence of Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian Bengalis has significantly enriched the cultural and social diversity of this population.

Religions among Bengali Americans
  1. Islam (80.0%)
  2. Hinduism (18.0%)
  3. Buddhism (1.00%)
  4. Christianity (1.00%)

Islam

[edit]
Eid celebrations in Jackson Heights

More than 80 percent of Bengali Americans identify as Bengali Muslim. This proportion is among the highest among Bangladeshi-origin immigrant communities in North America. In all major areas of Bengali settlement, mosques function as central hubs for both religious and social activities. Institutions such as the Jamaica Muslim Center and Al-Islah Islamic Center, Hamtramck serve not only as places of worship but also as important support networks for newly arrived immigrants.[28]

Hinduism

[edit]
Durga Puja at Times Square

Bengali Hindus constitute approximately 15 to 18 percent of the Bengali American population. A significant portion originates from West Bengal, along with a smaller number of minority Hindu families from Bangladesh. Their social and cultural life is largely organized around major religious festivals such as Durga Puja, Saraswati Puja, and Lakshmi Puja. A strong Bengali Hindu presence can be observed in temples across New York and New Jersey, particularly during these festivals.

Buddhism and Christianity

[edit]

Approximately 1 percent of Bengali Americans identify as Buddhist, and another 1 percent as Christian. Bengali Buddhists are primarily members of the Barua community from the Chittagong region, who have established monasteries and temples in areas such as Brooklyn and Virginia. Bengali Christians are affiliated with various mainline denominations; however, they often maintain their linguistic and cultural traditions, particularly in the celebration of Christmas.

Religion Estimated Share Major Festivals Notable Religious Centers
Islam More than 80% Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha Jamaica Muslim Center, mosques in Hamtramck
Hinduism 15%–18% Durga Puja, Kali Puja Various Hindu temples and cultural associations
Buddhism ~1% Buddha Purnima Sadhanananda International Buddhist Monastery, Brooklyn[29]
Christianity ~1% Christmas Local churches and private gatherings

Culture & Language Practices

[edit]

Language (Bengali) serves as the most powerful marker of identity among Bengali Americans. More than 91 percent of Bengali households in the United States use the Bengali language at home. This strong attachment to language and culture has motivated Bengali communities across the country to establish various institutional initiatives aimed at preserving their heritage.

Institutions such as Bangladeshi American Center of North America (BACONA) in New York and Path Bhavan in Michigan play an important role in transmitting the Bengali language to younger generations.[30][31] Bengali language courses are also offered at institutions of higher education, including the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Wisconsin–Madison.[32] In addition, Muktadhara Bookstore in New York is widely recognized as the principal hub for Bengali literature in North America.

Decorations for Pohela Boishakh at Jackson Heights

Rabindra Sangeet, Nazrul Geeti, and folk traditions such as Baul music remain integral to Bengali cultural identity. Inspired by the ideals of Chhayanaut, many Bengali instructors offer music education both online and offline. The Tagore Society of Houston works to promote the philosophy and cultural legacy of Rabindranath Tagore, with regular participation from second-generation Bengali Americans.[33]

Traditional Bengali cuisine continues to play a central role in Bengali American households, with rice and fish, bhorta, and pitha remaining staples. The consumption of panta ilish during Pohela Boishakh has become a global Bengali tradition. In terms of dress, women often prefer sarees and salwar kameez, while men commonly wear panjabi or fatua, particularly during cultural and religious festivals.

Festivals and Social Events

[edit]

Fond of celebrations, Bengali Americans observe their major religious and cultural festivals in the United States with great enthusiasm and grandeur.

Pohela Boishakh (Bengali New Year)

[edit]
2024 Boishakhi Mela, Dallas, Texas

Pohela Boishakh is a secular and inclusive festival celebrated by Bengalis of all religious backgrounds. Large-scale Boishakhi Melas are organized in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas.[34] In many locations, colorful processions inspired by Dhaka’s Mangal Shobhajatra are also held. The festival is widely regarded as a symbol of the Bengali community’s secular and pluralistic ethos.

Amar Ekushey (International Mother Language Day)

[edit]
Shaheed Minar in Paterson, New Jersey

On 21 February, Bengalis commemorate the martyrs of the Language Movement by laying floral wreaths at Shaheed Minars. A permanent Shaheed Minar in Paterson, New Jersey, stands as a significant memorial to this tradition and serves as an important site of collective remembrance.[35]

North American Bengali Conference (NABC)

[edit]

Since 1981, the North American Bengali Conference (NABC) has organized the annual North American Bengali Conference.[36] It is the largest gathering of Bengalis in North America, featuring performances by renowned artists from Bangladesh and India. The three-day event typically attracts more than 10,000 attendees.

Religious Festivals

[edit]
  • Eid: On Eid, thousands of Bengalis gather in neighborhoods such as Jackson Heights and Jamaica in New York City. The celebration has become a visible and vibrant part of the city’s public life.
  • Durga Puja: For Bengali Hindus, Durga Puja is the most significant social and cultural gathering. In keeping with the demands of American work life, the festival is usually organized over weekends, allowing broad community participation.

Bengali in the Electoral Process

[edit]
Bengali in US election

The inclusion of the Bengali language in the electoral system of the United States is largely the direct result of the demographic presence of Bangladeshi Americans, organized civil rights advocacy, and sustained legal challenges. Although, in principle, the use of Bengali applies to all Bengali-speaking communities, in practice electoral recognition of the language in states such as New York and Michigan has been established primarily through the demands, litigation, and activism of voters of Bangladeshi origin.[37]

The legal foundation for securing these language rights was established through Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act, which was added in 1975.[38] This provision mandates that jurisdictions in which a linguistic minority population exceeds a specified threshold and where a significant number of voters have limited English proficiency must provide ballots and election-related assistance in the relevant minority language.[39][40]

Increased civic engagement has led to the election of Bengali-speaking officials, such as Shahana Hanif (NYC Council) and various local leaders in Michigan and New Jersey.

New York City

[edit]

The establishment of Bengali-language electoral services in New York City was decisively shaped by the efforts of Bangladeshi Americans. Following the 2011 census determination that Queens County qualified for Asian-language assistance, organizations representing the county’s large Bangladeshi population asserted that such assistance must be provided specifically in the Bengali language. When the New York City Board of Elections failed to provide Bengali-language ballots and materials in multiple elections in 2012, Bangladeshi American organizations initiated legal action. These cases were supported by Bangladeshi-led community groups in collaboration with Asian American legal advocacy organizations.[37]

After prolonged legal proceedings, a settlement agreement was reached in federal court in 2013. As a result, Bengali-language ballots were introduced for the first time in Queens County during that year’s mayoral election. This achievement is widely regarded as a historic success of organized political mobilization by Bangladeshi Americans.[41]

In 2024, under new New York State election laws, Bengali-language electoral assistance was also extended to Kings County (Brooklyn). This expansion was similarly grounded in the presence of a substantial Bangladeshi American voter population in the area. Consequently, Bengali has become an established and functional electoral language in multiple counties across New York State.[42][43]

The rate of participation among Bengali voters is comparable to, and in some cases higher than, the overall voter participation rate in New York City. In the 2021 primary election, voter turnout among Bangladeshi voters was 29.1 percent, higher than that of Pakistani voters (24.7 percent) and Korean voters (23.3 percent). Bengali-language media campaigns by organizations such as the AAPI Power Coalition were able to engage more than 1.5 million voters.[44]

External videos
video icon Zohran Mamdani is campaigning for votes by speaking in the Bengali language.

During the 2025 New York City mayoral election, mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani personally conducted campaign outreach in the Bengali language among the Bangladeshi American community.[45] Shahana Hanif is a Bengali American politician serving as a member of the New York City Council. She is the first Bangladeshi American and the first Bengali American woman elected to the Council.

Hamtramck, Michigan

[edit]

The recognition of the Bengali language in the electoral process in Hamtramck, Michigan, was an even more direct outcome of sustained advocacy by Bangladeshi Americans. Owing to the city’s large population of Bangladeshi origin, Hamtramck has fallen under the provisions of Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act since 2011.[46] However, for an extended period, the law was not effectively implemented in practice, and Bengali-speaking voters repeatedly encountered language barriers at polling stations.[47]

Vote campaign in Bengali language at Hamtramck, Michigan, USA

Against this backdrop, a federal lawsuit was filed in 2021 on behalf of a Bangladeshi American voter, Rahima Begum.[48] The complaint alleged that polling places in Hamtramck lacked Bengali-language ballots, signage, and interpreter services, thereby violating the legally protected rights of Bangladeshi voters. The court took cognizance of these claims and issued a consent decree, under which city authorities were required to translate all election-related materials into Bengali, appoint a designated Bengali election program coordinator, and establish an advisory committee comprising representatives of the Bangladeshi community.[49]

This ruling is widely regarded as a historic victory for Bangladeshi Americans in Hamtramck and established an important legal precedent for the enforcement of Bengali-language voting rights in the United States.[47]

New Jersey & Pennsylvania

[edit]

Beyond New York and Michigan, political demand for Bengali-language electoral services is also growing in other states. In New Jersey, Middlesex County is currently covered under Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act only for Gujarati-language assistance. However, the county’s large Bangladeshi population has increasingly called for the inclusion of Bengali-language services.[50][51] In areas such as Paterson’s Ward 2, Bengali voters often play a decisive role in determining electoral outcomes, with an estimated core electorate of approximately 2,000–2,200 voters.[52]

In Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County is presently federally covered only for Chinese-language assistance. However, in 2024 the Pennsylvania Department of State began providing voter registration forms and ballot application materials in nine additional languages, including Bengali. This development indicates that Bengali-language ballots may become a legal reality in these states in the near future.[53][54]

Participation and Influence

[edit]

The participation and influence of Bengalis in the United States have evolved through a long and well-documented historical process. The earliest presence of Bengalis in the country dates back to the late nineteenth century (approximately 1880–1910), when Bengali sailors and laborers from undivided Bengal began arriving in the United States. These seamen, many of whom worked at the ports of New York and San Francisco, occupy a notable place in the history of South Asian immigration. In the early decades of the twentieth century, Bengali political activists and students involved in anti-colonial movements against British rule sought refuge and educational opportunities in the United States.[55] Among them, Taraknath Das stands out as a particularly significant figure; in 1912, he testified before the U.S. Congress against British colonial rule in India and played an important role in fostering South Asian political consciousness in America. However, the qualitative and quantitative expansion of Bengali immigration occurred after the amendments to the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which shifted U.S. immigration policy away from ethnic quotas toward skill- and profession-based criteria. As a direct result of this reform, the 1970s and 1980s saw a substantial influx of physicians, engineers, academics, and researchers who settled permanently in the United States. This trend accelerated further in the aftermath of Bangladesh’s War of Independence in 1971.

Demographically, the Bengali American population has grown rapidly since the early 2000s. Analyses based on the 2020 U.S. Census and subsequent American Community Survey data indicate that the number of people of Bangladeshi origin in the United States has reached approximately 350,000; when Indian Bengalis are included, the total Bengali-speaking population exceeds 400,000. A significant proportion of this community is concentrated in the New York metropolitan area, where neighborhoods such as Jackson Heights and Jamaica in Queens, as well as Parkchester in the Bronx, have developed robust social, economic, and cultural infrastructures centered on Bengali life.[56] Outside New York, the city of Hamtramck, Michigan, represents an exceptional case of Bengali political influence. There, the organized voting power of Bengalis and other Muslim communities led to a shift in local political dynamics after 2015, culminating in the formation of the first Muslim-majority city council in the United States in 2019, in which Bangladeshi-origin members played a central role.

In terms of political participation, Bengalis began to exert visible influence from the second decade of the twenty-first century onward. At the municipal level, Shahana Hanif was elected to the New York City Council in 2021, becoming the first woman of Bangladeshi descent to hold such a position. Since her election, she has been actively engaged in issues related to housing rights, labor protections, and immigrant advocacy. At the state and local levels, the election of figures such as Nabilah Islam in Georgia in 2018, along with multiple Bengali representatives in local administrations in Virginia and Michigan, further institutionalized this political ascent. At the federal level, the appointment of M. Osman Siddique as a United States ambassador from 1999 to 2003 stands as a significant precedent for diplomatic representation by individuals of Bengali origin.[57]

Economically, Bengali contributions span both labor-intensive and knowledge-based sectors. During the 1980s and 1990s, the extensive participation of Bangladeshi immigrants in New York City’s taxi and limousine industry turned them into a vital pillar of the city’s urban transportation system. At the same time, Bengalis established strong enclave economies through grocery stores, restaurants, travel agencies, and real estate businesses. In parallel, individuals of Bengali descent have exerted influence at national and global levels in technology and corporate leadership. The co-founding of YouTube by Jawed Karim in 2005 marked a transformative moment in the digital media economy. In the corporate sphere, Omar Ishrak’s leadership as chairman of Medtronic and Intel has had a lasting impact on the U.S. healthcare technology and industrial sectors.[58]

Bengali participation in education and research is also firmly supported by statistical evidence. The proportion of Bangladeshi Americans holding undergraduate or higher degrees is significantly above the U.S. national average, enabling them to establish a visible presence in universities, research institutions, and intellectual policy-making circles. A symbolic recognition of this trajectory came in 2019, when Abhijit Banerjee was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics for his experimental research on poverty alleviation. At the same time, the expansion of Bengali language instruction and South Asian studies programs at several U.S. universities reflects the growing institutionalization of the Bengali diasporic identity.[59]

Within American higher education, the formal teaching of Bengali language and literature has gradually expanded. At Cornell University, Bengali is offered at levels ranging from elementary to advanced, and a specialized course titled “Bangla for Communication in Healthcare” has been introduced to help medical professionals overcome language barriers in clinical settings.[60] In addition, institutions such as the University of Chicago and the University of Michigan provide opportunities for advanced research and academic engagement in Bengali literature, language, and South Asian culture, underscoring the increasing significance of Bengali studies within the broader U.S. academic landscape.[61][62]

Notable people

[edit]
Main category: American people of Bengali descent
The Sears Tower (now Willis Tower) was designed by Fazlur Rahman Khan. It was the tallest building in the world for over two decades.

Academia and science

[edit]

Arts and entertainment

[edit]

Business and technology

[edit]

Politics and civil service

[edit]

Literature and journalism

[edit]

Culinary and lifestyle

[edit]

Sports and YouTube

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
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