Bangladeshi Migrant Associations in Italy: Transnational Engagement, Community Formation and Regional Unity

Referring to the case studies of two cities in Northern Italy, this article seeks to understand how Bangladeshi migrants use associations to seek transnational \u201cways of belonging\u201d and \u201cways of being\u201d. It analyses how this transnational attachment to their home country has played an important role in building their own \u201ccommunity\u201d. The findings reveal that Bangladeshi migrant organizations work to maintain \u201ctransnational ways of belonging\u201d by enabling migrants to retain their cultural roots; this is reflected in their observation of festivals, national days, and other practices and rituals. Although, as a relatively new migrant community, they do not share as many economic links through these associations as many other \u201cdiasporic\u201d organizations, migrants widely express a sense that these economic connections are with their country of origin. However, there is competition within the community based on regional origin, as well as have many ambivalences and contradictions