Newly arrived Bangladeshis in the UK are confronting shattered dreams amid the promise of London. Despite the UK government’s stipulation of a minimum wage at £11.44 per hour, a considerable segment of the Bangladeshi community is facing difficulties in finding employment, some settling for as little as £5 per hour.
Over the last three years, thousands of Bangladeshis, accompanied by their families, have migrated to the UK on various visas, predominantly settling in different neighborhoods in London.
Despite London’s reputation as an employment hub, many Bangladeshis have experienced prolonged periods of unemployment, mirroring the situations of Indian and Pakistani communities.
An anonymous member of the Bangladeshi community in London shared their distress on Facebook, describing the fruitless search for work in sectors like hospitality, construction, and agriculture.
Despite their efforts, opportunities appear scarce, putting them and their dependents in dire financial situations. Some have sought refuge with relatives, facing eviction due to an inability to pay rent, with homelessness looming as a grim prospect.
Expressing desperation, the individual wrote: “If a kind brother or sister would help any of us with a job in any city, I would not forget this benefit for the rest of my life.”
Yet, even within the Bangladeshi community, exploitation persists, with some businesses offering wages far below the legal minimum, trapping workers in cycles of poverty.
Reports of such exploitation are not isolated incidents. Instances of businesses, particularly those owned by South Asian proprietors, paying as low as £5 an hour for grueling work hours are increasingly common. This, coupled with exorbitant living costs, leaves new arrivals struggling to make ends meet.
Many individuals, working in restaurants for more than eight hours a day, six days a week, are earning just £120 a week, equivalent to £5 per hour. Ashfaq Juned, a journalist in Birmingham, recounted at least two such incidents.
He stated: “In London, Bangladeshi institutions do not even pay £5 an hour. Many are unable to secure work even after six months have passed after coming to the UK.”
Mahbubul Karim, a Liberal Democrats Party politician based in Luton, mentioned: “Businesses are suffering amid the economic downturn in the country. Consequently, Bangladeshi and South Asian entrepreneurs are compensating workers at an alarming rate of £5 per hour. Considering that a modest room in London commands a minimum of £600 per month for accommodation, individuals are grappling with earning less than half the wage required to sustain even basic living standards. This dire situation exacerbates the oppression faced by newly arrived Bangladeshis, both in terms of inadequate wages and exorbitant housing costs.”
Rumpa Roy, a former media professional from Bangladesh, highlighted the challenges faced by newcomers, including deceitful practices in housing arrangements and unscrupulous employment practices. She emphasized the failure of local employers to adhere to minimum wage laws, worsening the financial strain on vulnerable workers.
Dr Renu Lutfa, an educator with over four decades of experience living in the UK, reflected on the resilience of earlier generations of immigrants who overcame immense obstacles to establish themselves.
She said: “When our ancestors first arrived in this country, they faced abject poverty. They lacked fluency in the language, warm clothing, food, and even shelter. Despite these adversities, they persevered, doing whatever was necessary to survive. Back then, there was no recourse for complaint; they accepted whatever opportunities came their way. We must adopt the same resilient spirit.”
Highlighting the current circumstances, she observed: “Today, I witness our community struggling to secure employment. Meanwhile, I see immigrants from other backgrounds undertaking a multitude of jobs—from gardening to carpentry and masonry. They adapt to whatever work is available, tirelessly toiling day and night. Our grievance lies in the disparity; despite the provision of meals in restaurant work, the wages remain unjustly low.”
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Life is so though in London
after reading this article i am so worried about london
Have you done your research properly?
So many people working deliveroo my brother also