Little Bangladesh, Brooklyn

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Little Bangladesh street sign on McDonald Avenue in 2024 McDonald Avenue Little Bangladesh Street Sign.jpg
Little Bangladesh street sign on McDonald Avenue in 2024

Little Bangladesh is a commercial and cultural enclave in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. A part of the Kensington neighborhood, the corridor of Church and McDonald Avenue serves as the heart of the Bangladeshi-American community. The section was formally recognized as "Little Bangladesh" in October 2022. [1] [2] [3] This area is home to about 35% of Bangladeshis in New York City. [2] Almost entirely a working class community, most immigrants are from the regions of Chittagong, Sandwip and Noakhali in Bangladesh who began moving into the neighborhood in the early 1980s. [4]

Contents

History

Early settlement

Asian Oriental Grocery opened in Kensington in the 1980s. Rather than traveling all the way to Queens, the store offers essential everyday products, including Bengali spices, vegetables, and halal meat, for Bangladeshis living in Brooklyn. [2] Early Bangladeshi immigrants came to America through the Diversity Visa Program, ship jumping and Family Reunification. [4] After Bangladesh's Independence in 1971, the Bangladesh community in America rocketed due to legal migration through the Diversity Program Lottery that started in the 70s. [5]

Recognition

On October 16, 2022, Shahana Hanif, the first Muslim woman in the New York City Council and the daughter of Bangladeshi immigrants living in the area, made the effort to co-name the intersection of McDonald Avenue and Church Avenue as Little Bangladesh. Shahana Hanif, City Comptroller Brad Lander, and Assemblyman Robert Carroll were joined by Bangladeshi leaders to unveil the sign. The co-naming effort occurred a few months after an intersection in Queens also received a co-naming of the same name. [3] [4]

Businesses

Restaurants

Bangladeshi men eating dinner together inside Radhuni Sweets & Restaurant. Dinner At Radhuni Sweets & Restaurant.png
Bangladeshi men eating dinner together inside Radhuni Sweets & Restaurant.

The Kensington Bangladeshi community can be seen in the restaurants and grocery stores along Church Avenue. Men are often seen there drinking tea and eating familiar Bangladeshi snacks. These restaurants become a mix of a community center and a living room. [4]

Radhuni Sweets & Restaurant

Founded by councilmember Shahana Hanif's father and other community members, the restaurant is busy all day and night. [4] It is now under female ownership. [6]

Sonia's Cafe

This is a woman-owned restaurant that opened during the pandemic, and their specialty is snacks and street food (like piyaju and samosas), [4] but specifically fuchka (fritters filled with chickpeas and potato, topped with tamarind water). [6]

Abdullah Sweets

A lot of native Bangladeshi sweets, like chomchom and roshogolla, can be found at Abdullah Sweets. [7]

Economy

The Little Bangladesh neighborhood is a primarily working-class with members working in different fields:

Construction

A number of men work in day labor, metalwork, and subcontracting jobs. Many of these men find work through informal networks at gathering places, such as the corner of McDonald and Church. [1]

Food delivery

During and after the COVID-19 pandemic, many young Bangladeshi men worked with food delivery apps like Seamless and DoorDash, but frequently face considerable risks including accidents and crime. [1]

Taxi drivers

40% of New York City taxi drivers come from South Asia, of which many are Bangladeshi. [8]

Economic Struggles

Abouut 28.2% of Bangladeshis in New York City live below the poverty line, as opposed to 20.6% of the general population of New York City. Among that, child poverty was 35.1%. [9] Kensington has seen increases in rent and housing leading to displacement, with families being more interested in affordable housing in Queens and Buffalo, New York. [7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Markowitz, Jonah; Zraick, Karen; Asma-Sadeque, Samira (June 13, 2023). "Dawn to Dusk on the Corner Where Bangladeshi Brooklyn Gathers". The New York Times. Retrieved November 9, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 Rahmanan, Anna (October 21, 2022). "This NYC street has officially been renamed Little Bangladesh". TimeOut New York. Retrieved November 9, 2025.
  3. 1 2 Brendlen, Kirstyn (October 18, 2022). "'A permanent part of this community': Kensington street co-named 'Little Bangladesh' to celebrate, commemorate Bangladeshi community". Brooklyn Paper. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "A Guide To Little Bangladesh, From Newly Elected City Council Member Shahana Hanif - New York". The Infatuation. January 20, 2022. Retrieved November 22, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Bangladeshi American Foundation". bangladeshiamericanfoundation.us. Retrieved November 22, 2025.
  6. 1 2 Robinson, Laura (August 9, 2022). "Explore Kensington's "Little Bangladesh" with Shahana Hanif". Prospect Park Alliance. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  7. 1 2 Hussain, Rifah (April 27, 2025). "Brooklyn's Bengali Community Faces Challenges with Rising Rent". Harlem View. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  8. ↑ Rosenthal, Brian M. (May 19, 2019). "'They Were Conned': How Reckless Loans Devastated a Generation of Taxi Drivers". The New York Times. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  9. ↑ Im, Carolyne (May 1, 2025). "Facts about Bangladeshis in the U.S." Pew Research Center. Retrieved November 24, 2025.

40°38′34″N73°58′46″W / 40.64278°N 73.97944°W / 40.64278; -73.97944

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