This is one of the areas we look at for this current project and the discussions and exchanges I have observed between the parent and the child has been interesting. The different understandings of how to retain those links and maintain them at a steady rate was insightful, as it reminded me of how my own family navigate these streams of contacts. Maintaining this contact has become much easier over the years where you no longer have to go to phone shops to enter one of those booths to speak to a relative in a village somewhere in Sylhet. This phone call also entailed arranging the next phone call and ensuring other members of the family or village are there, so you can catch up with as many people as possible in one go.
Then, the calling cards became popular and I have memories of having to buy them anytime I was out, so my parents had spare ones just in case they needed to make a call ‘back-home’. The calling cards no longer required you to go to one of the phone shops and it allowed you to stay home and make those calls. Moving on, this was further changed with Skype, Viber and various other apps that make it much easier to stay in touch with relatives. Receiving daily updates via WhatsApp, receiving short videos or photos of family events, funerals, weddings, and so on we could not attend due to commitments here we still feel connected to those precious moments.
Though most of the British Bangladeshi families retain this link through their family, I feel those settled here are making spaces to feel more connected to their roots. Various events across East London, especially ones held at Altab Ali Park, demonstrate the Bangladeshis’ desire to express their grievances, support and even anger at the unfolding events in Bangladesh. The park itself has become a contested space for commemorating Bangladesh’s history, identity and the local politics and racism, which consequently led to the renaming of the park.
I think this link will dwindle with time as the third and fourth generation of British Bangladeshis are forging their homes here across the UK but I may be wrong. I have met many young people, in their 20s, trying to reconnect and find out more about their parents homeland. The country their parents will not lose ties to and a country that continues to define their heritage. Who knows…maybe my generation and younger will revive this link with Bangladesh and won’t allow it to diminish.