Date: August 4th, 2022
Interviewee: Mohammed M. Alam
Interviewer: Subat Matin
Location: Woodbridge, Virginia

MATIN: Okay, today is August 4th, 2022, to tell me your life story.

M. ALAM: Hey, my name is Mohammad Alam Masum. I was born in Sandwip, which is a sub district of Chittagong, it’s in Bangladesh and I was born on August 28, 1976, and I was born in the village, as well and I lived there, like, about 10 years of my life, went to elementary school there and then moved to Chittagong started my high school there and by the age of 13, I moved to America, and went to school over here, my father was living here in America, since 1980. He, when he moved here, he did not have a green card or any sort of legal status. So, he had to leave here long enough we had a huge gap in early age with him and the first time I saw him was in 1988, when he got a legal amnesty by then President, Ronald Reagan and he went to visit in Bangladesh, that he was there for about a month and then he applied for my mom, and my brother and myself for a family visa and it took like about three years by the teenager, one September, we moved to America and, and there comes America, life begins here.

I started middle school over here, I started from 7th grade. Initially, it was a little tough because I did not speak English, I did understand a little bit, but never spoke English. In Bangladesh, we learn to understand a few things here and there. So, when I started going to school, there are different types of moments, we had multicultural, blacks, Hispanic, like other desi like Bangladeshi, Pakistani Indian people were in school, whites, blacks, all sorts of people. So, there are times was hard for us, because people would make fun of us because we could speak English and the way we dressed up and how we had a different culture where we would like hold hands of our friends and things doesn't work like that over here and make fun of us because of those things.

It took a lot of time to get used to and adapt to the culture of school over here and we, I mean, I did pretty well in middle school, and high school and most of my friends, they were like Bangladeshi, or like some blacks, few whites, a lot of Jewish people because it's the predominant Jewish area in Brooklyn, New York. So, some of my teachers are Jewish. So as a kid, when I grew up, we had a negative idea about Jewish people. But when I met my teachers, they're very nice people and they gave us a lot of historical background of how Jewish people suffered about their life, how his ancestors suffered during the World War II, and how he moved to America. So, things kind of similar to us it's not exactly same, but their struggle was there for them as much as it is for us. So since then, I learned to adapt to American culture, like getting along with most American people getting used to in school and getting connected with the school clubs. Like, the math clubs, like the culture clubs, and we things here and there and that allowed us to actually start liking America, much better than our lack of knowledge, because I knew the rest of my life I’ll live in this country and I have to adapt to this culture over here.

So, I knew that I'll never be truly American, but I know that I can be a Bangladeshi American. So, this is the identity actually, that gave me the boost of okay. You can be combined on both culture together to have a better self-esteem in life. You know, it's sort of just like just like a foreign American culture that will never accept you. But then you have the acceptability of yourself with your friends, with your other people because here everyone gives and takes like some people came from Europe, some people came from Africa, and other countries, and they bring their culture and share with everyone else. Same thing with us, we share our culture with America and this is how actually we get recognized and do things here. So, I went to college in New York as well and during my college time, I did many different types of jobs, like I worked in a McDonald's or working in department store, I worked in a pizza store, in a Jewish kosher restaurants, working staples, I drove cab for some time, I was teaching or mentoring in a high school, high school kids. Before I moved to Virginia, where I am right now working in the IT field, serving.... and yes, that is my life, I have my wife and three daughters. I would say that my life is full of everything, but it’s been fun.

MATIN: What was your childhood like in Bangladesh?

M. ALAM: I think my childhood was very amazing. I loved it. I have many friends in Bangladesh. The best thing about Bangladesh is like it don't speak the same language that we want to have the same culture would enjoy the culture based on our religion, based on our Bangladeshi festivities, I would say like, New Year, like different types of celebrations and each month, so it was more joyful, which I lost once I came here because in America, we don't celebrate those cultures over here, even though we do try sometimes going through the cultural programs and stuff like that. And we try to enjoy our eat holidays of the year. But it was much better. Back home. Back then. We used to play soccer and cricket and so many other different types of sports, which is not very common here in America.

MATIN: What did your parents do?

M. ALAM: My father, when he moved here, in America, before we came in, he, he was working in a nursing home as a maintenance supervisor. So, he lived through a struggle life because he did not have a education here in America. And he didn't speak English. So, he had to struggle through his job to make sure that he can provide for us as well as his parents and his siblings.

MATIN: You said earlier that you came to America when you were in middle school. So, what was school like for you in Bangladesh, and what was school like for you in America?

M. ALAM: So, I would say school like, in America is more fun, because it's more interactive. We do things together in classes, where in Bangladesh, we have more students per classes. So, things that were not as practical, is school in Bangladesh. It's more like theoretical, you learn you memorize things and I mean, there are potentials in both areas in Bangladesh on America, because like kids who go to school in Bangladesh, and move to America, they did much better. So, I cannot compare. But I would say that school in America are more fun kids loves to go to school in America, they enjoy their classes they enjoy their teachers, their friends in Bangladesh is probably as not as common.

MATIN: What kinds of foods did you eat in Bangladesh,

M. ALAM: Spicy foods. So, if you're looking for foods, foods are totally different here in America than in Bangladesh. Even though at home, we eat similar type of food. But when you go to go outside to a restaurant, or like an art to enjoy the festivities, foods out there are different.

MATIN: When you were in Bangladesh what did you know about American culture?

M. ALAM: It was more of a like dream. I thought everything was pretty colorful. In America. I thought money was flying. And you just catch them, you know? But once you came here, things are different. You have to work hard. You have to be honest, you have to be dedicated. And you have to give your best to survive and to have successful life in America.

MATIN: What was your opinion of America or Americans?

M. ALAM: Very positive. I mean, people are people, just different countries. But overall, In America, I think people are more helpful. It's probably because of the way the government is, and how the government treats their citizens in America because here, even though recently, we've seen things differently, but overall, I think government, they try to work for its citizen, more dedicated elsewhere, like they work for their people more than how they do in Bangladesh. Like here, people obey the laws, and they try to help out each other. The, the, the favoritism, or if you look for a job, I think it's much more open to the rest of the color from people from different types of orange, right? So, I mean, I would say that I cannot compare like an artist like apples and oranges, people in Bangladesh in here, but I just love the way we are here in America.

MATIN: Why did you leave Bangladesh?

M. ALAM: It was not a choice. You know, I never like my parents, they... my father applied for us. And he brought us here. And I was a dependent, so I had to come. So, it was not an option.

MATIN: Why did you guys want to immigrate to New York specifically?

M. ALAM: Well, first of all, my father was living there and second of all, most of the Bangladesh at that time, they were living in New York. So, New York, it was a place that was very multicultural. So probably one of the reason I loved it is because I would see other policy people. Whenever I go outside, there were like, shops where people would gather and there were areas where like, my other friends would come. So, I mean, it was more common for, for myself to just get adjusted, as opposed to, as opposed to like, if I was in another city, it would look more strange to me.

MATIN: What kinds of experiences did you have in New York?

M. ALAM: I had a very good experience, I had a very bad experience. So, of the bad experience can we talk about is when I went to school, middle school and one day after school, I was hanging out my friends, like mostly my mother's your friends from the school year and they were like, five, six speakers that came in district beating me up, that beat me up so bad that I couldn't even get up. So, they my friends took me to the dean's in the middle school, there were going to the prices on the police came, and all those things and we could find the police report on everything and was very bad at that time and I was scared to get out of the house after that. Thing that like anyone who sees me outside. So, it took a pretty while to overcome this situation and as I got used to living and got more comfortable, I think it's sort of loving the city, the country and everything. So, I mean, it took me some time, America is never great. But it's just always getting better. So, the city, the state, the country itself is always trying its best to just move forward.

MATIN: What surprised you about New York and American culture?

M. ALAM: Just different people, you know, different people bringing their different culture, different cultures comes with so much positive and negative-ness and everything and you get to just two people. Like, I remember when I came to America, and I've met some of my friends who are from Middle East, and how they were so nice. They would, they would tell me like find any help. In terms of family, like, moving the house is like I'll come and help you out with the movie and this and that. So, like these are the types of things I think I never expected from people. So yeah, these are type of things that surprised me a lot.

MATIN: Did you hear about other Bangladeshis coming to America while you were still in Bangladesh?

M. ALAM: I have always heard people are going but honestly like, the people that you're surrounded with. In terms of family, I think we were kind of one of the first ones came to America. So, after we came there were many other came. So, I know that there's going to be a growing number of families are moving to America. So that kind of gave me more comfortability in terms of like, okay, it's not going to be a long hour. Like, even when I came here, I knew that I wasn't going to be alone because there are people coming because America is an immigrant country instead of welcoming country. And it always brings people in that's the Pauline allows people to come in. So yeah, that makes me was making me feel uncomfortable?

MATIN: Do you ever experience any discrimination?

M. ALAM: Of course, discrimination is everywhere, right? It's in one of their system, any country, you vote in the world. So same thing here in America, discrimination is always there, you know, you will find discriminations from white to black from white to other cultures, same thing goes for Bangladeshi, like when you try to meet up with, like black girl, my parents have said that where you work in order to the black girl, or black boys, you know, so the discrimination is everywhere. But it's the, it's the amount of discrimination that affects your life. So, say for example, I think, even if you go to some cultures or some families, you will see that you have a son who wants to marry a different culture in Paris of discouragement and it's not because they are good or bad, it just that discrimination, right. Or racism or whatever it is, right. So, it's always there. But in terms of work in terms of like, school or anything like that. I don't think discrimination, I felt much discrimination in there. There were probably some favoritism, which is everywhere. But yeah, I mean, this is always development, self-development, I think for every person, it cannot be blamed as a, as a city as a country as a country. So, we have to always raise ourselves, is our race our manners to get away from the discrimination.

MATIN: How did you adjust to the American lifestyle?

M. ALAM: It was it was, was easy, because if you go to school, you see the American culture in school, right? So, when you see American culture, any school the first problem you face is from your family. Like, what, what kids do at school, if you want to follow the trend, your parents is the first one to say that, okay, you cannot do that because you're not... you’re not an American, you ever been early, right? So that's how they tried to stop you. But since you go to school, you go to college and you go to work, you sum it up. So, yeah, your work your peers, your friends, your colleagues, they allow you to adopt American culture, which is good actually.

MATIN: When you first came here, where you guys find halal and Bengali foods?

M. ALAM: it was there it was not as much right now, because now you will see, it became a huge trademark, I would say it became a huge brand halal brand. So, it was not as much available back then. So, we were able to find it hard to like to say if especially if you go to like a visit some places will probably find out foods, so that time you had to adjust to what was available. Like, say would eat a bagel or pizza that does not have or bacon or things like that, like just cheese or basically, things like that. So, I mean, we get adjusted to things. But right now, the options are limited... sky's the limit, like you have so much you know, so it's different.

MATIN: Was there any specific stores, your dad would get halal foods from?

M. ALAM: Yeah, there were many Bangladeshi stores, Pakistani stores, and some Indian stores, they would bring in halal meats so that we can buy it from them. Unfortunately, most of the American stores they wouldn't halal foods, halal meats actually. So, you had to rely on mostly people from our subcontinent or somebody Middle Eastern stores. So, and it was the more expensive, but it was worth it.

MATIN: What do you like about New York?

M. ALAM: It's my home. I love New York and everything that I see in New York. I feel like it's a part of it. The whole city itself, Brooklyn, the downtown Brooklyn, Manhattan. Wall Street, downtown Midtown, Uptown, Central Park. This... everything I feel like when I go to New York. I feel like it's part of me, it’s just my home.

MATIN: Why did you choose to settle in Virginia later in life rather than staying in New York?

M. ALAM: It is I think how for many reasons, one of them is probably job purposes. I had better opportunities here in Virginia. Second thing is I had many friends that moved from New York to Virginia. So that kind of helped me make the decision. And then I had, I was thinking about my family, my kids, I wanted to give them a little bit of space, because New York is very congested, right and in order to find a place, which is a little more spacious, you need to get out of the city, like you have to go to Long Island, New Jersey, things of that nature. So, I choose to come to Virginia, and it's not too far away from New York and also, you have the DC over here you have the downtown DC area, Alexandria, Arlington, all those areas, it has so many multicultural Bangladeshi people also, and you have the halal options. So many nice masjid over here. So Islamic culture, all this thing together. I think it helped me choose Virginia. And then of the day, I think Allah is the decider, I mean, not me. So, I was brought here probably by the Grace of Allah.

MATIN: When you first immigrated to New York, what kinds of problems did you encounter?

M. ALAM: Speaking, I, I, like I couldn't express myself. It took me a long time. Even when I started learning English, I would say that just to express yourself fully. That took me pretty while. So, things I would say, somebody would probably understand it, part of it. But I feel like I couldn't explain the whole my emotions, my expressions, everything, in words, simple words or sentences. So that was very hard.

MATIN: What was that experience like learning how to speak English?

M. ALAM: It was fun because when he came here, and went to school, most of the kids that we had miss school in our classes, even some Americans, they were in ESL, which is called English as a second language. So even though like I was struggling, so did everyone else. So, we have some of the Americans who live here who are born here, they went through the similar issue, even though they speak, they spoke English, but they didn't speak like proper English, or they wouldn't read and write as good as, like, probably other people did. So it was, it was a process in learning to get myself or liberate myself in learning English. So, I mean, my teacher was actually fun. It was a very nice teacher, I still in communication with him. Mr. Overstamp, he was a Jewish person, very nice teacher, he treated us like his children.

MATIN: What was the hardest part of living Bangladesh?

M. ALAM: The political issue, I would say, the political issue, like every time I think in Bangladesh, everyone is involved with politics and it's hard people not to some environment, power politics and the way things are, I would say probably, it's overcrowded and the system is not as fundamental or like structured like here in America. So, we need to the government probably needs to work on that. How to the one of the biggest problem is probably most of the predictions of most of the leaders who leads the country, their family or their kids that live abroad. So, they probably care for the country, but they don't do as much because their kids don’t live there. So maybe they should make a rule of okay, if you're a leader of a country, your kids must live here.

MATIN: What was the hardest part for you for leaving Bangladesh?

M. ALAM: Leaving Bangladesh or?

MATIN: Yeah, leaving.

M. ALAM: My relatives, my grandparents of at that time, they were still alive. My cousins are very close to it and we have so much fun. played so many different types of sports always communicated and just knowing that I'm going to miss them that was the hardest thing.

MATIN: How often did you go back to visit your family in Bangladesh?

M. ALAM: For the first few years, I think on the first 10 years, we went there three times after that is very rare, because most of my family members they are here in America right now. There are only very few left and those who are left in Bangladesh. They have their own families, they have their kids, they have their life in different stages. So, I mean, it's different. So, most of my family members here in America, so yeah.

MATIN: How did you keep in contact with the family and volunteers when you first came to America?

M. ALAM: So that time we used to write letters so that was one of the fun thing. I think nowadays kids they don’t know how to write letters, so and then we used to talk on the phone that was very expensive. But we tried for the shortest time, internet was not available at that time so we did not have any of those free calling system at that time. So yeah, through letters and phone calls every once in a while.

MATIN: Do you consider America or Bangladesh your home now?

M. ALAM: America.

MATIN: Why?

M. ALAM: Because first of all, I'm an American citizen. Second of all, I pay tax here, I take all the advantages of living in America, the government works for me, and I pay my taxes to government. So, I do everything over here in America. So even though I call myself a Bangladeshi American but I’m American.

MATIN: What kinds of traditions and customs do you keep of Bangladeshi culture?

M. ALAM: I tried to talk in Bangla with my kids, sometimes I talk to my parents in Bangla and during our holidays, we try to dress up like our mother she culture cultural quotes, we eat the foods. So, there are so many things that are part of my life every day that I carry with validation traditions,

MATIN: What kinds of traditions do you want to change and pass down to your children?

M. ALAM: I want to I want to have them speak the Bangla language and then also the foods and clothing. Probably occasionally, like during the celebrations, things of that nature and the type of relationships you carry because if you go to every country, every culture, they carry different types of relationships, right, like with their grandparents, or uncles with their cousins. So, I wonder to candidate interpretations.

MATIN: Do you expect for your children to follow a Bangladeshi culture or religion?

M. ALAM: Of course, I want them to follow the religion of Islam. That's their say. I don't want them to follow Bangladeshi Islam. I want them to follow the real Islam and I want them to follow Bangladeshi culture in terms of the celebrations during the celebrations they can eat the food that they will I want them to feel excited about making the food eating the food, and then sharing the foods with other people and also speaking the language like as often as they can, especially when they see other Bangladeshi people and it's just the culture that their ancestors came from. Yeah.

MATIN: What do you mean by Bangladeshi Islam?

M. ALAM: See, if you talk about any type of religion, it changes culturally. So how Islam was built, or how Islam was revealed to us. If you go to different country, it's different. You will see different types of stories about Islam, things that are not in Quran or Hadith, right, you will find them kind of mandatory in Bangladesh. So, I don't want my kids to follow those. So, one, I want my kids to follow the real Islam, the proper Islam, that that was revealed to us by our Prophet Muhammed (S.A.W) and his companions, not how Islam is collected from other religion and it was exposed to us as a big part of Bangladeshi Islam. There are many examples but I don't want to talk about it.

MATIN: So, do you think Islam influences Bangladeshi culture?

M. ALAM: I don't think Islam influences Bangladeshi culture. I think the people some of the people could people they try to spread it to people with a positive note as Islam. For the goods of people, how people should practice Islam and then there are some people who take advantage of it and these are the people that try to influence it negatively. So, if you look at Islam, it’s only one religion and the sunnah, right. But when people try to influence you, by trying, by forcing it on you, that's where the problem is, right I think if you... if you raise your kids with the proper Islam you don't need to force them later in life. So, it's a beautiful it's a beautiful religion, and it's a very peaceful religion. So, whatever you see outside of it, it came from the corrupted mind, not from the Islamic mind.

MATIN: What do your children and family believe about Bangladeshi culture?

M. ALAM: My family they have a very positive views of Bangladesh because my kids, especially the older two, they went to Bangladesh the older one went twice, the middle one went once and they have so much fun. So, they have very positive views how things are because we tried our best to make sure that they enjoyed their fun at the gate and the way our house in Bangladesh the openness that we had in you know our village and all those coconut tree all those fruits that they saw in the houses and everything I mean they loved it. So for them it just a dream about Bangladesh maybe if they lived there for like few years it related with them.

MATIN: What do you think are considered to be Bangladeshi cultural traits or identity?

M. ALAM: Well, first of all, I think I would say that you're humble, you are... you care for your relatives a lot that is one of the most important thing, you share your foods invite people in equal to people's house, you ask a lot of questions about someone else's health, good health, if they need help. So, things of that nature you go meet up for coffee or tea outside you bring people in for coffee and tea for your house I think these are some of the good things about our culture that we try to engage with people from our own culture often.

MATIN: What do you like about Bangladeshi culture?

M. ALAM: I would say mostly everything things that I carry on like, like how we communicate with each other, we gather so much we provide or we share so much food when you invite people like we have like about 15-20 different types of items. So, even if you want to diet you will lose the control of dieting. So, yeah, all those things, I love them.

MATIN: Do you see or think there are any problems with Bangladeshi culture?

M. ALAM: there are problems in every culture same in Bangladeshi culture. Some people, they go overboard or say that they take advantage of being a Bangladeshi. Like say they stereotype a lot of things that can cause harmful effects to people there that they are with. So, I mean, there is a negative side for the culture same with Bangladeshi culture.

MATIN: Do you consider yourself a Bangladeshi or an American?

M. ALAM: A Bangladeshi- American.

MATIN: And what do you think is the difference between being Bangladeshi American and just Bangladeshi?

M. ALAM: Well, it cannot. If you live in America, you cannot be just a Bangladeshi because there are American gives you so much opportunity, right and this opportunity, you're up to it. Most of these are very good. As long as it does not contradict with your beliefs, because some of the American culture came from Europe and some of the American culture came from other places, right. Not everything is going to go along with you. Right? Same thing with like white or black with other people, right. Everything that we being from Bangladesh is not going to be right. So, in terms of that, as long as it doesn't hurt you or art anyone else all the stuff that shouldn't be a problem being a Bangladeshi American, but just to be a Bangladeshi in America, I think it's a hypocrisy.

MATIN: How do your children and family see their identity?

M. ALAM: I think they see themselves as an American, Muslim, and Bangladeshi.

MATIN: When you first immigrated to America, where did you meet other Bangladeshi people?

M. ALAM: In the stores, in houses, like I said, we Bangladeshi love to invite people and people invite us so we go to their houses and meet them and I met some my friends at school. Yeah.

MATIN: Do you use social media to keep in contact with people from Bangladesh? Or just the Bangladeshi community in New York?

M. ALAM: From Bangladesh, probably not that much. But people in New York Yeah, do people here in Virginia yes, I do. We have a different WhatsApp groups, or like messenger groups where we communicate with them about what's happening or anything that is concerning. So together news and updates and things of that nature, about things that we can help or share. Yeah.

MATIN: What is the Bangladeshi community like in Brooklyn, New York?

M. ALAM: They are very Bangladeshi. They... they most of them, they are pretty good. Actually, I was when I was in New York, I was involved with one of them and that one was about our village in Sandwip, where we help out the older people, and girls who are in need of many different things, or kids who goes to school and they don't have enough money to pay their school fees or they can buy books, or like a hospital in need of a generator, or things of that nature. So, so they are very helpful organizations. Sometimes they probably do in a way that doesn't look good. But their constitutions are fundamental about what they want to do as an organization it's always to help others. So, I like that about most of the organizations in the room.

MATIN: But what is the Bengali people like in Brooklyn, New York, the community?

M. ALAM: Community wise, they want to expose Bangladesh in Brooklyn, they want to like America itself was... right? You have people came from Africa, right? They brought in their culture they expose to the whole America, you have people came from you. They did the same thing. They expose to the whole world like Italians, Scottish, German, all these people. Same thing with Bangladeshi, right. They brought in the Bangladeshi politics organizations, educational aides, things of that nature and they celebrate in the on the street, in the masjid, or in the park, during the Eid’s and all those other festival times and they bring in the entertaining or I would say they're like people who sings, people who acts bringing them in during the festival times so that it can get exposed to the American people about the Bangladeshi people so everyone can enjoy together. So yeah, I mean, they tried to them tried to expose Bangladesh, in Brooklyn or in New York.

MATIN: Do you know the names of some of these organizations you were part of in Brooklyn?

M. ALAM: I was part of a one which is called Gasua Probashi... which is more of a like the village that I was from, that’s in America so North America tradition. I would say it's a donation fund that you create for the village, for underachieving people. That's one of them and then Sandwip Association where they help out people... or Sandwip Society but they help our people who died over here they, help send the dead body back home or bury them in New York, and they collect money to provide for their family if they're in need and they also do so many other things like they, they have a picnic, yearly picnic, where they invite all the people from Sandwip or other areas, so that everyone can get together and meet up with each other. It’s a mass gathering, things of that nature.

MATIN: What do you like about these organizations?

M. ALAM: They're very helpful people and they try to bring people together and they want to spread the culture to our next generation.
MATIN: What are some struggles or challenges Bangladeshis faced in Brooklyn, New York.

M. ALAM: I think things are getting better. Nowadays. There are so many job opportunities and stuff. But from my perspective, it can be wrong is maybe there could be more Bangladeshi can get into professional field, I would say they have the skill sets, or even if they don't have the skill sets, they can easily acquire those skill sets through different sort of training and get into the professional field and put themselves in a position where they can be better respected from their families, or from their own culture.

MATIN: Growing up in Bangladesh, where you told of any stories of the time when Britain still had control over the Bengal region?

M. ALAM: We'd read it from books. But story wise, British was far behind because war was more close with Pakistan and Bangladesh liberation war in 1971. So, I wasn't told the story of the British, accept I read it from books.

MATIN: Were you told any stories about the partition?

M. ALAM: Yeah. I think my father, who did not physically participate in the Liberation War probably was because he was too young at that time. But if he didn't help our people who participated in the war, and there were many stories that I heard, like, they used to hide weapons in our house. So, when the fighters would need them, they could come and get it. So that's one of them. Second thing is probably how Pakistani commandos at that time raped the Bangladeshi woman or how they killed them. Like one of them was my grandfather from my mom's side, my mom's dad. He, he was coming back home returning home, and that took him away, found this body again. Somebody said they have to kill him in the throw him somewhere or somebody like didn't get they were never able to find his body and those are some of the saddest stories that I heard about it. There are many these are very close to me.

MATIN: Did you know anything about how things were like when Bangladesh was East Pakistan and under West Pakistan's control?

M. ALAM: I wasn't born at that time. But I didn't have any stories where like when Bangladesh was part of Pakistan, like we were East, Pakistan, they were the West Pakistan, the development should be equal for both countries and it was not equal West Pakistan always develop that part of the country, more than the East Pakistan. So, it was not balanced, it was discriminated and also, our mother language was Bangla, and West Pakistan was trying to control that and trying to just force us to speak Urdu instead of Bangla. So, there were many stories that I heard, or I read from our books and we're the only country in the world who fought for the language to speak the language and I think it was terrible. I mean, the war could’ve been avoided by giving us equal rights and it wasn’t given.

MATIN: What are your thoughts or opinions on the 1971 Bangladesh genocide?

M. ALAM: I think the Pakistan did a great mistake, I would say because, first of all, we both are Muslim countries, and we share so many common values as being Muslim. But they did not see it in that eye. They discriminated us. They brutalized our talented people at that time, most of the educators they killed them, they killed many people who were higher rankings, who could be very influential for Bangladeshi development after the war, or even the war and they killed them and it was one of the heinous that the Pakistani government did at that time and I can never support that. It's always shameful.

MATIN: Did your family know anyone who left Bangladesh and took refuge in India or anyone who fought in the war?

M. ALAM: Yeah, my, my father knows. There were many fighters from our village that he knows and I knew afterward when I was born, when I grew up, but anyone living in India that I don't know. There were some people I heard, but not from probably from our area, because it didn't impact us as much.

MATIN: Do you know how things were like during the 1974 famine in Bangladesh?

M. ALAM: I don't know. I wasn't born. I read from the stories that was very tough. For many reasons. We had political issues, we have issues from the world. Many powerful countries who committed to help us they stopped helping us. So, it was not only one reason that the famine happened, it happened for many reasons. But people like to leave everything for the political purpose. It's the perspective, end of the day, a lot of people died and that is the saddest part.

MATIN: Do you remember what you were taught about Bangladesh’s history in school?

M. ALAM: Yeah, we were taught about how you were discriminated, how you weren't given equal rights from... by West Pakistan, and how we have to fight and we have to go to the war with Pakistan, and also how India helped us and then how we won the war and from then, the life as a Bangladeshi began, initially was not an easy thing for us to survive as a country, we had to struggle through so many things. Like we have to lose many great leaders through assassination and still it’s a developing country. We are we are moving to the right direction, I would say, but it will take some time.

MATIN: Do you know any Bangladeshis that went to the Middle East first in order to look for jobs?

M. ALAM: Yeah. So, so from the village we are in, there were many people that went to the Middle East because at that time, there wasn't enough job in Bangladesh. So, people would go to other countries to find a job to provide for their families.

MATIN: Do you know how they were treated or what their life was like living in the Middle East?

M. ALAM: I don't know, personally, but I heard stories from them, like they will do overtime works. They would live under very bad living conditions and sometimes they wouldn't get enough money, or people who they work for they would take their money away, or they wouldn't give them enough money. But, I mean, those are some issues some people faced, but there are a lot of people that have benefited by going to the Middle East and to other countries to provide support for their families.

MATIN: Did you ever learn about New York or United States history in school while in Bangladesh?

M. ALAM: No. We just learned that America is a country that's pretty much it. Besides that, not that much.

MATIN: Do you know of anyone who would marry African American women or women of other races in order to get citizenship and do a contract marriage?

M. ALAM: I I know some people did it. But I don't know if they did it because they wanted to get a green card or citizenship. They probably they needed to marry someone because they are away from their wife, their wife is in Bangladesh so probably they needed companionship or something like that. Things like that happened. But was it only because of the green card or citizenship? I don’t know about that.

MATIN: What was the immigration process like for you?

M. ALAM: It was very simple. I mean, my father applied, everything was legal logistics. So, they took us to the embassy, they asked us questions, basic questions, and we answered, that's pretty much it was pretty simple.

MATIN: How did you feel when you first got your citizenship?

M. ALAM: I was the same way as yesterday, as today. I didn't know how to feel like excited or what because I went from my college to get my citizenship. I know the guy who asked me a question. Like, he only asked me one question and he was like, what are the oceans connected to the United States? and I answered back. I am going to college, you asked me that question? Thank you, it’s Atlantic and Pacific. He was like okay that’s it and he passed me. So, I mean, I think he was joking, or whatever. But in any case, I had an answer.

MATIN: Did you hear of other Bangladeshis immigrating to different countries other than America or other parts of the US?

M. ALAM: Yeah, actually we have some relatives that live in Texas, Florida, California. So, there are other parts, they're also immigrated to and other countries. Yeah. You know, very, they went to Italy, Australia. Yeah, some of those countries Britain... England. So yeah, there are other countries too. But everyone wants to come to America because I did visit some other countries, but no matter which country you go to in the world, nobody gives you as much equal rights as America when you are a person of color.

MATIN: What was it like working with other groups of people in America?

M. ALAM: It was always fun. I always had a great time working with different type of people.

MATIN: Do you still reminisce about your life in Bangladesh?

M. ALAM: No. I mean, I got over it. I try to enjoy life every day, I have friends and I try to live life for the present from experience in the past, just to get myself better for the future.

MATIN: What is your favorite memory of Bangladesh or your life there?

M. ALAM: There are so many good memories, most of them actually revolves around my grandfather. When my father wasn't around, he kind of raised us and loved us so much and cared for us and he made sure that everything available for us so that we don't miss our father and I miss him a lot.

MATIN: What do you miss about living in Bangladesh?

M. ALAM: Just everyone talking in the same language in Bangladesh, that I have to hear different language over here, which is good fun. But see here during the Christmas time, you have pretty much almost everyone lighting up their houses celebrating when we're in Bangladesh during the Eid times everyone would celebrate. So here we celebrate, but not everyone celebrates, right. So that feeling is not there like during big celebrations, or festivals.

MATIN: How did you keep track of events that took place in Bangladesh after you left?

M. ALAM: Sometimes I read newspaper, sometimes when we get the internet available, through internet, through social media with updates.

MATIN: Is there anything you would change about your life or your immigration journey?

M. ALAM: No, I think life is a purpose that was set by the Almighty and my situation was decided by him and I'm glad that we are here and there were many mistakes, there were many good things, positive things negative things, I just try my best to live my life every day.
MATIN: Do you have any regrets?

M. ALAM: I don't think I have any regrets. If I had any shortcoming in the past, I tried to recover it, or try to fulfill it in the present, or if there is anything missing than I remember, and try to do it in the future. But living a life, regretful life, I think... and not doing anything about it, it's like being a failure in life and you can’t be a failure to your own life. So, you always have to be a successful person. Success doesn't come with the money, or assets, it just comes from the happiness. So that's what I'm trying to do.

MATIN: What accomplishments are you most proud of?

M. ALAM: Just keeping the relationship with my family, my relatives, I think is the most important.

MATIN: Is there anything else you want to share or say about your life or your journey?

M. ALAM: About my life I say that I value my friends, my relatives, my families a lot and I try to stay connected with them and I think everyone should, because in life, if you're not connected with your close people, you lose track of it and it can be very detrimental about your mental health. So just keep enjoying life and be connected with your people.