Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology

DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY, SOCIOLOGY, EDUCATION AND APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY CYCLE XXXII PhD in Social Sciences: Interaction, Communication, Cultural Construction University of Padova (Italy) PhD Coordinator: Prof. Devi Sacchetto Supervisor: Prof. Devi Sacchetto Title of the Thesis Multiple Migrations: Social Networks and Transnational Lives of Italian Bangladeshis in Europe A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Mohammad Morad (Bachelor of Social Science & Master of Social Science in Sociology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh; The Joint European Master in Migration and Intercultural Relations, University of Oldenburg- Germany, University of Stavanger-Norway, and University of Nova Gorica- Slovenia) Padova, 29 September 2019 1 Dedicated TO My mother, Amrana Begum who has been a continuing inspiration to me & My late father, Farid Ahamad who had a long held dream that his son would have a PhD from a European University 2 Acknowledgements I would like to thank my supervisors Devi Sacchetto (current) and Franca Bimibi (former), who offered me valuable suggestions. Throughout the thesis period, their consistent encouragement and guidance made it possible for me to complete the dissertation. Professor Devi Sacchetto gave most valuable time to read each chapter draft of this manuscript and afterwards provided valuable feedback. It is worth mentioning that Professor Franca Bimbi started to enjoy retirement from the University in the middle of my doctoral research, but she has been so kind as to give me an appointment when I needed to discuss my progress and seek suggestions on my work. Both of them were good listeners and this made our relationship much closer. I am also deeply indebted to Professor Dr Gabriella Alberti for arranging the offer letter to undertake a three month study period at the Centre for Employment Relations, Innovation and Change (CERIC), the University of Leeds (the UK), under her supervision. I would like to thank Francesco Della Puppa, Researcher, Department of Philosophy and Cultural Heritage, the University of Venice for his valuable comments and suggestions. The deepest thanks, of course, must be extended to several Italian Bangladeshis - Mr Sahab Uddin, Khasru, Kamrul Sayeed, Mahabub Alam, Hakim Shikder, Mahabub Rahaman Riscu - whose necessary contacts and helpfulness made it possible for me to go to the field and find my respondents for this study. But above all I want to thank the respondents from the Italian Bangladeshis in Venice, Bologna, Padova, London, and Bradford whom I met with for their kind hospitality during my fieldwork. I am also grateful to my family, though they have stayed in my home city, Chittagong, Bangladesh, during the whole my study period they mentally encourage me by providing their transnational love and support in doing this PhD research, especially, my two kids who miss the physical presence of their dad all the time. I always find my mom and my kids in tears when it comes to saying goodbye to me when I leave my country after holidays. Furthermore, I am also grateful to my current organization in Bangladesh - Shahjalal University of 3 Science and Technology - for allowing me to pursue this PhD by providing three years of study leave. I would also like to convey my sincere thanks and wishes for their future happiness to all members of the faculty and the eminent professor of this post- graduate school in Social Sciences: Interaction, Communication, Cultural Construction, Department of FISPPA (Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology), from whom I learnt a lot, knowledge which, hopefully, I will be able to share with my students when I will go back to my country and join the Department of Sociology, SUST after completing this PhD journey. Of course, my sincere gratitude to the board of this post-graduate school for granting me a scholarship and allowing me to pursue this research that has given me the opportunity to learn much from the multicultural environment of beautiful Europe. I am also grateful to my PhD mates - Paolo Di Motoli, Luca Sterchele, Anne-Iris Romens, Aurelio Castro, Mackda Ghebremariam Tesfau', Maddalena Rodelli, and Gau Ru- for giving useful suggestions. Padova, 29 September 2019 4 Table of Contents Acknowledgement 3 Summary 10 List of Tables 13 List of Figures 14 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 15 1.1 Background of the Study 15 1.2 Objectives and Research Questions 19 1.3 Project Significance and Value of the Research 21 1.4 Methodologies and Activities 23 1.4.1 Research Design and Site Selection 23 1.4.2 Method Employed 25 1.4.3 Participant Recruitments 29 1.4.4 Transcription and Data Analysis 31 1.4.5 Self-reflexivity 32 1.5 The Structure of the Thesis 36 CHAPTER TWO THE CONTEXT: BANGLADESHI MIGRATION TO ITALY 40 2.1 Introduction 40 2.2 Bangladesh as a Country of Emigration 41 2.2.1 The Country Context 41 2.2.3 The Historical Context of Migration 43 2.2.4 Countries of Destination and Number of Bangladeshi 45 Emigrants 2.3 Immigrants in Italy: Italy as a Destination Country 47 2.3.1 A general background 47 2.2.4 Irregular migration and regularization of undocumented 50 immigrants 2.4 Research Setting: Bangladeshi Migration to Italy 51 2.4.1 A brief history 51 5 2.4.2 Channel of migration 52 2.4.3 Trends and motivation for migrating 54 2.4.4 Bangladeshi in Northeast Italy: The Research Setting 56 2.5 Summary and Conclusion 57 Tables and Figures 59 CHAPTER THREE THEORETICAL UNDERSTANDING: 63 MULTIPLE MIGRATIONS 3.1 Introduction 63 3.2 Conceptualizing Multiple Migrations 64 3.3 Migrants’ Likelihood of Multiple Migrations: Review of Related 66 Literature 3.3.1 For accumulating the necessary capital 67 3.3.2 To escape financial difficulties and securing employment 68 3.3.3 Towards building the future of the next generation 70 3.3.4 For social regrouping and retaining cultural identity through 71 staying inside the diaspora 3.3.5 To avoid formal and informal discrimination 72 3.4 Multiple Migrants: Who are They? 76 3.5 Summary and Conclusion 77 CHAPTER FOUR SOCIAL NETWORK AND TRANSNATIONALISM: THEORETICAL 79 FRAMEWORK 4.1 Introduction 79 4.2 Theorising Social Networks 80 4.2.1 Conceptualizing Social Networks 80 4.2.2 Access To and Use of Social Networks in the Migration 82 Process: Review of Recent Research 4.2.3 Role of Social Networks in International Migrations 84 from Bangladesh: Existing Studies 4.3 Theorizing Transnationalism 86 4.3.1 Conceptualizing of Transnationalism 86 4.3.2 Maintaining Transnational Social Fields: Review of some 88 pertinent previous research 4.3.3 Migrants and the transnational social field 98 6 4.4 Multiple Migrations, Social Networks, and Transnational Ties: 100 Building an Analytical Framework 4.5 Summary and Conclusion 104 CHAPTER FIVE EMIGRATION: PROFILE AND 106 GEOGRAPHICAL ORIGIN OF RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS 5.1 Introduction 106 5.2 Leaving Bangladesh: Moving to different countries 107 5.2.1 The Long-term Migrations 107 5.2.2 The Short-term Migrations 111 2.2.3 Country selections: socio-economic background matters 112 5.3 Profiles of Italian Bangladeshis 114 5.3.1 Cultural and socio-demographic profiles 114 5.3.2 Economic profile 116 5.4 Region of Origin 119 5.5 Summary and Conclusion 121 Tables 122 CHAPTER SIX MULTIPLE MIGRATION TRAJECTORIES OF ITALIAN BANGLADESHIS BEFORE 129 ARRIVING IN ITALY AND WITHIN ITALY 6.1 Introduction 129 6.2 Tracing Multiple Migrations Experiences Before Arriving in Italy 130 6.2.1 Migrants whose first migration is in Italy but they stayed 132 several countries as transit migrants 6.2.2 Migrants who were first migrated to several European 134 countries before arriving in Italy 6.2.3 Migrants who first moved to Industrial countries of 136 Southeast Asia 6.2.4 Migrants who first started their migration journey from the 137 Middle East 6.3 Moving to Italy and Internal Migration Within Italy 140 6.4 Summary and Conclusion 144 Table 146 CHAPTER SEVEN ENJOYING FREE MOVEMENT INSIDE THE EU: THE ONWARD MIGRATIONS OF ITALIAN 155 BANGLADESHIS IN EUROPE 7.1 Introduction 155 7 7.2 The Reason for Leaving Italy 159 7.2.1 Economic reasons: the tension of losing their jobs and the 160 careers of their offspring 7.2.2 Less opportunity to provide English education, Bengali 163 culture and Islamic education 7.2.3 Informal and formal discrimination: a feeling of 165 disappointment in daily life 7.3 The Reason for Selection of the UK as a Relocation 167 Destination 7.3.1 Education from ‘Bilat’: a symbol of prestige and high 167 social standing 7.3.2 A diasporic reunion: keeping a connection with their roots 169 7.4 Factors Influencing the Decisions of Bangladeshis to Remain 173 in Italy 7.5 The Downside of Onward Migration of Bangladeshis from 175 Italy 7.5.1 A Missed opportunity of building a strong Italian 175 Bangladeshi diaspora 7.5.2 Feelings of stepping down in the labour market 176 7.5.3 Treated as a foreigner: A community insight the 178 community 7.6 Summary and Conclusion 180 Table 182 CHAPTER EIGHT SOCIAL NETWORKS AND TRANSNATIONAL TIES IN FACILITATING MULTIPLE 184 MIGRATION 8.1 Introduction 184 8.2 Leaving Bangladesh and Country Selections: Family and 186 Kinship Ties Matters 8.3 Role of Networks in Multiple Migrations Before and Until 188 Arriving in Italy 8.3.1 Multiple migrations through transnational ties with 189 earlier cohorts of migrants’ friends and co-nationals 8.3.2 Transnational Syndicates of Adam Baparis: Operated by 196 Kinship Networks to Facilitate Transit Migration to Reach to Italy 8.4 Migratory Networks in the Process of Settling

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