Formation of Identities of Bangladeshi Immigrants in Ottawa by Kazi Afzal
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Formation of Identities of Bangladeshi Immigrants in Ottawa By Kazi Afzal Ahmed B.S.S. Hons. M.S.S. A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Department of Sociology and Anthropology Carleton University Ottawa, Ontario January', 2006 ©2006, Kazi Afzal Ahmed Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Library and Bibliotheque et 1*1 Archives Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de I'edition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Canada Canada Your file Votre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-16417-4 Our file Notre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-16417-4 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non L'auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library permettant a la Bibliotheque et Archives and Archives Canada to reproduce,Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve,sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par telecommunication ou par I'lnternet, preter, telecommunication or on the Internet,distribuer et vendre des theses partout dans loan, distribute and sell theses le monde, a des fins commerciales ou autres, worldwide, for commercial or non sur support microforme, papier, electronique commercial purposes, in microform,et/ou autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. The author retains copyright L'auteur conserve la propriete du droit d'auteur ownership and moral rights in et des droits moraux qui protege cette these. this thesis. Neither the thesis Ni la these ni des extraits substantiels de nor substantial extracts from it celle-ci ne doivent etre imprimes ou autrement may be printed or otherwise reproduits sans son autorisation. reproduced without the author's permission. In compliance with the Canadian Conformement a la loi canadienne Privacy Act some supporting sur la protection de la vie privee, forms may have been removed quelques formulaires secondaires from this thesis. ont ete enleves de cette these. While these forms may be includedBien que ces formulaires in the document page count, aient inclus dans la pagination, their removal does not represent il n'y aura aucun contenu manquant. any loss of content from the thesis. i * i Canada Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Abstract: The goal of this ethnographic research on formation of ethnic identities of Bangladeshi immigrants in Canada, with a particular focus on the Ottawa community, is to explore how Bangladeshi immigrants construct, select, negotiate, and communicate their ethnic identity. Based on participant observation fieldwork this research focuses on the community organizations of Bangladeshi immigrants in Ottawa because these organizations play a significant role in the construction of their ethnic identity. In the process of formation of organizations, Bangladeshis in Ottawa draw on political and religious ideologies dominant in Bangladesh, generate social class distinctions and produce factions within the community. The thesis investigates the factors behind the construction of ideologies and factions within the community, and their connection to the ideologies and events happening in Bangladesh and other parts of the globe. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Dedication: To my parents Shamsunnahar Lasker and Late Kazi Mahiuddin Ahmed Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Acknowledgements: I would like to express my gratitude to a number of people who were instrumental to the completion of this work. I first wish to thank my co-supervisors: Blair Rutherford and Brian J. Given. Thank you very much for your support, guidance, advice, and encouragement throughout this process. I am greatly appreciative of your effort and time invested throughout this process. I would like to express my gratitude to my wife Saleha Money Islam and my son Arithro Nishonku Kazi. Your presence in my life is enriching and inspirational. Finally, I would like to express my deepest thanks to all of the participants of Bangladeshi community in Ottawa who contributed their time, energy and thought. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Table of Contents Abstract ....................................................................................................................................ii Dedication ............................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................iv Table of Contents ....................................................................................................................v Chapter-1: Introduction ..................................................................................................... 1 1.1 An overall idea about the topic, central research question and the rationale of the study........................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Chapter summaries............................................................................................................. 4 Chapter-2: Review of Literature and Methods of Study...............................................10 2.1 Literature on ethnicity and identity ..................................................................................10 2.2 Literature on Canadian Immigration policy and its impact on the Bangladeshi immigrants .............................................................................................................................. 13 2.2.1 A Brief History o f Immigration and Settlement in Canada...........................14 2.2.2 Since September 11, 2001............................................................................... 17 2.2.3 Impacts on Canadian Society.......................................................................... 18 2.3 Related studies concerning Bangladeshi immigrants ...................................................19 2.4 Conceptual framework.....................................................................................................23 2.5 Methods of study.............................................................................................................. 27 2.6 An overview of the participants in the study................................................................. 29 Cahpter-3: History and background of Bangladeshi Immigrants ...............................31 3.1 A brief history of Bangladesh ..........................................................................................31 3.2 A general idea about the Bangladeshi immigrants in Ottawa ....................................... 35 3.2.1 The processes o f Bangladeshi people’s immigration ..................in Canada36 3.2.2 Adaptation in the new environment................................................................ 44 3.2.2a Making a living................................................................................. 44 3.2.2b Finding Employment.........................................................................46 3.2.2c Other adaptation factors.................................................................. 46 3.2.3 Expectations and status dislocation............................................................... 47 3.2.4 Construction o f community, organization and.......................... association49 Chapter-4: Choice of Ideologies, Organizations and Conflict: Construction of Local Images.................................................................................................................................... 56 4.1 Bangladeshi Community organizations in Ottawa ...................................................... 57 4.1.1 Case Study: Bangladesh Association in Ottawa................................ (BAO) 57 4.1.2 Construction o f social classes: struggle for....................................... power 58 4.1.3 Emergence of religion..................................................................................... 60 4.1.4 Confrontation and negotiation o f ‘Islamic ’ and ‘non- Islamic63 ’ values Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 4.2 Ideology-based organizations: response to the incidents in Bangladesh and in other parts of the World...................................................................................................................65 4.2.1 Factions within organizations: social class.................................... revisited 66 4.2.2 The organizers..................................................................................................67 4.2.3 Constructing solidarity and differences within the community.................... 68 4.3 Factors behind organizations and groups in the community ........................................ 69 4.3.1 Political and ideological interpretation or reconstruction...........................71 4.3.2 Importance o f local images............................................................................. 80 4.4 Factors behind the construction