The dream of women from Bangladesh

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Almost nowhere in Europe, many migrants from Bangladesh living in Italy. Women from the South Asian country falls to Arrive, nevertheless, is often difficult. This also has to do with your men. From Rome, Michele Bertelli.

As soon as the sun goes behind the concrete blocks at the Malatesta court, and on diving-women in bright Shalwar-pants to have a rest from the heat of the Italian summer’s day.

“Two days after I from Bangladesh arrived here, I started to cry,” says Sumi. The 25-Year-old has recently married her Cousin, who works in Italy as a Baker. As he had proposed to her, she was happy initially to be able to move to a different country, she says. “I thought we would visit Pompeii.”

Currently, the Couple has to travel, however, no way to. Sumis husband works at night. Everyday life has become monotonous: in the Morning, she sleeps, in the afternoon, she cooks for him, and from time to time, she manages to visit her aunts.

Sumi is a studied lawyer and would like to work. Her husband is against it. “He said: ‘no, you’re a housewife’.”

“The majority of men from Bangladesh wants to corral women,” says Salma Akhter Zaman. “Otherwise, you could open your eyes and realize that they, too, have rights.” Zaman is also from Bangladesh and has worked in hospitals, schools and authorities as a cultural mediator. Language courses are the best way for newcomers to integrate into the Italian society, she says. “But the husbands do not allow even that. They are afraid the women might become independent.”

The Second Largest Community In Europe

According to the interior Ministry, around 140,000 people from Bangladesh with residence permit living in Italy. More of life inside Europe only in the UK.

Bangladesh indoor with their children in Tor Pignattara

Francesco Pompeo, an anthropologist, explores the everyday life of migrants in Rome, estimates that the actual number is higher: “A third of them said not a regular residence permit,” he said.

“It is usually young women, who have come here, to live with their husbands,” say the scientists Katiuscia Carnà and Sara Rossetti, who wrote the book “Kotha – women from Bangladesh in Rome”.

Male migrants in Europe is lucrative work, are named Probashi. After a few years abroad, their families are looking for a girl for you and arrange a wedding in Bangladesh. When the men come home, to meet their future brides, they embellish their emigration stories, because of the Pride of the community in the home is important. “Migration is a family project, and those who travel are seen as the jewel in the crown,” says Rosetti.

The reality in Italy is often rough. Many people from Bangladesh, leaving large families and sharing in the foreign small houses with other couples or single men. Because their husbands are working hard and only to Sleep and eat, coming home, shrinks the world of women on the size of your tiny bedroom.

“My Job has given me drive”

“I was dead inside. The Italians had their friends and families. I had no one,” says the 46-year-old Sultana. She stands behind a counter, on the neatly folded Saris and ankle length skirts – Lehengas – are.

It was the loneliness that motivated Sultana 18 years ago to open the first traditional Bengali fashion business in the district of Tor Pignattara. “The Shop has given me drive,” she says. “Today many women come here. It’s like having an extended family”. The support of her husband, a Matter for the project is crucial, she said. “I was more free than the other women, because he has always believed in me.”

Sultana in your fashion business in Rome

In the neighborhood, some self-help organizations, to support women from Bangladesh. On a Thursday evening, the charity Mohila Somaj Collan Someti meets at Laila Fashion, a fashion business in the vicinity of Sultanas Download. In four days delle Marmore, a man-made waterfall will be held at Cascata in the Region of Umbria, one of the group-organized a picnic. The employees of the business have already booked two buses.

“We are simply trying to help our women,” says the 46-year-old Laila Shah, who heads the Association. You will find that men exercise still too much in control of their women. “Language and lack of jobs are the problems which the women in this community faced.” According to the Ministry of the interior, ten percent of the 38,000 women work more regularly.

The next Generation

“I think it would be great if women would smoke from Bangladesh and going out at night, because that would break the clichés,” says Sahila Mahiuddin, 28. When she speaks passionately, gesturing you – all Italian – with the poor. Sahila was raised to be an open-minded woman. As your mother remain in your allowed outside at night, she gave her a simple advice: “hide yourself in front of the other from the community.”

“People from Bangladesh are obsessed bolbe of ‘Manouche ki’, which means as much as ‘What will people say?'”, Sahila explained. She has worked as a cultural mediator, and is convinced that this attitude leads some couples to harassment and violence, which are covered in the rule.

The fight against prejudice – a family from Bangladesh in Rome

How many of your country people, living in the second Generation in Italy, loves Sahila the culture of their family, but can’t stand prejudices and Stereotypes. “The first wife of Muhammad was a gifted trader. Therefore, the men justify their sexism with Religion are just opportunists.”

Gradually the conditions changed Sahila says. Women from Bangladesh were working more and more frequently, as nurses, cultural mediators, waitresses and hairdressers.

The rebellious years, where she has quarreled with her mother, she has left behind. She has completed a course of study at the University of La Sapienza, a man from Bangladesh, married and works in a tax consulting. Their views have not changed, however. “When I think of my future as a mother, I want to just that my kids are as free as possible.”