New York City breathed a collective sigh of relief on Monday after Akayed Ullah’s botched bombing attempt in the early morning.
But for Bangladeshi Americans in the city, the attempted attack could have longer-term consequences than the injuries Ullah, 27, managed to inflict on himself and three other people in a Times Square subway station.
Many people of Bangladeshi origin are already beset by poverty – the median wage is over $22,000 less than the city-wide average – and are struggling to take advantage of the American dream.
Given Ullah was born in Bangladesh, some said the attack could heap more pain on the community, with many fearful of an increased police presence – and potentially deportations.
Moinul Alam, the president of the Bangladeshi American Center of North America, a nonprofit organization based in Kensington, Brooklyn, said Ullah’s attempt was “a big concern – because I know for sure by my heart we don’t stand behind any of this stupidity”.
He said he was already receiving calls from worried Bangladeshi Americans, both in Kensington and in communities in Queens.
“One person did something terrible and the whole community has to suffer,” Alam said. “People are asking: ‘Are we going to have Ice [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] looking for somebody all the time?’”
A spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security confirmed on Monday evening that Ullah had been admitted to the US in 2011 on an F43 family immigrant visa. “The suspect is a lawful permanent resident who benefited from extended family chain migration,” the spokesman said.
Police said Ullah lived in Brooklyn, and public records showed that an A Ullah had been registered at an address in Kensington.
On Monday afternoon police were investigating a different Kensington address reportedly linked to Ullah’s family. Witnesses said a Swat team had entered a six-storey building on the busy Ocean Parkway, and there was a heavy police presence – including a bomb squad vehicle – outside.
The Kensington neighborhood is known as Little Bangladesh. The neighborhood has Bangladeshi restaurants, grocery stores and pharmacies.
Alam’s organization is based in the neighborhood, and provides after school classes for children from pre-K to 12th grade, he said. It also helps women, in particular, to improve their English and navigate access to social services and advice on immigration matters.
“It makes you worried because believe me the kids are working very hard and because very good things are happening in our community,” Alam said. “Most of the people are nice, believe me. It’s just we have to have more supervision, and good community work so our kids don’t get into the wrong impression.”
The 2010 census showed there were 50,000 people of Bangladeshi origin living in New York City, an increase of more than 22,000 from 10 years earlier. The median household income for Bangladeshi Americans was $36,000 in 2010, compared to a figure of $50,711 across the city.
More than 70% Bangladeshi Americans are foreign-born, according to the census, with the majority living in the borough of Queens, but significant populations in Brooklyn and the Bronx.
On Monday afternoon Ullah’s attempted bombing was the only topic of discussion among Kensington’s Bangladeshi Americans.
“This is not good for the image of the community. For the image of the country,” said Mohammed Islam, who was shopping at the Bangla Nagar supermarket. “We worry. Because of one guy we are all worried,” he said. “Maybe now the police arrest us for nothing. It is a problem.”
Islam, 59, moved to New York City in 1985 and works in construction. He said he was proud to live in the US.
“We are living peacefully, we can find a job. Maybe it’s not a good job, but it’s a job,” Islam said. “We enjoy living here. It is a thousand times better than our country.”