Bengali Muslim Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Most Bengali Muslims in Birmingham have roots in Bangladesh, especially the Sylhet region. Early arrivals were often seamen and factory workers, and families joined them from the 1970s, settling in Aston, Lozells, Small Heath, Handsworth and Bordesley Green.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 13,074 residents whose main language is Bengali gave their religion as Muslim; and 44,960 residents of Bangladeshi heritage gave their religion as Muslim.

Working for Birmingham

Bengali Muslims built much of Birmingham's curry trade, and today their children and grandchildren work as doctors, nurses, pharmacists, teachers, lawyers, accountants, IT professionals and councillors. Bengali-run businesses serve neighbourhoods across the city.

Healthcare, education and the skilled trades are three of the pillars of the city's economy. The NHS is one of Birmingham's biggest employers, its universities teach tens of thousands of students, and there is steady demand for electricians, plumbers, carpenters, decorators and handymen in every neighbourhood, alongside business, transport, hospitality, retail and the city's growing digital and creative industries. People from every background keep these sectors running, and the Bengali Muslim community shares in that effort.

Culture and community life

Ramadan and Eid are the highlights of the year, and mosques are at the heart of community life. Pohela Boishakh, the Bengali New Year, and Ekushey, International Mother Language Day, are celebrated with music and poetry, and Bengali food is shared with friends and neighbours.

Like so many of the communities that make up modern Birmingham, the Bengali Muslim community shows how a city can be home to many cultures at once. Its members are proud of where they come from, and just as proud to be Brummies.