by Labiba Ali

Bangla East Side premiered on February 21^st at the Queens Museum, NY. Directed and produced by Fariba Alam and Sarita Khurana, it follows the lives of four Bangladeshi-American high school students as they traverse through the difficult teenage years, juggling two cultures and building a life for themselves. Mahfuja, Maroofa, Jemi and Saleh are students of Marta Valle Model School in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. The film takes us into their personal lives and gives us a glimpse of their everyday struggles and accomplishments.  

Maroofa’s and Saleh’s families immigrated to the US when they were quite young. Jemi’s and Mahfuja’s parents still live in Bangladesh while they live in NY with their older sisters. Adapting to a new country and simultaneously maintaining one’s cultural identity has never been an easy task. But these teenagers have taken on this challenge and are trying to shape a life that reflects the best of both worlds.  It is encouraging to watch young people persevering in this struggle and not giving up on their dreams. Though they live far away from Bangladesh they have not forgotten their heritage but have strove to hold onto it. The three girls perform Bengali dances at school events and enjoy dressing up in saris. Maroofa also choreographs for her high-school cultural show while Jemi teaches Indian classical dance.

Meanwhile, they have also embraced the advantages of a western education that have opened new opportunities for them. The families are supportive of their daughters’ education and encourage them to be independent. Mahfuja is the Valedictorian of her class and hopes to go on to college. The others also look forward to college careers. They are intelligent youths and will no doubt benefit from a college education. It was wonderful to see them actively participating in discussions on world affairs - contemplating and debating on US foreign policy and the Iraq War. At one point Mahfuja jokingly tells Jemi ‘You know more about US history than George Bush. Maybe you should run for President’. Their discussions on life reveal their maturity, much of which developed from having to overcome the challenges of being immigrants. In their overwhelmingly Hispanic high school where others see them as ‘different’ they do at times feel isolated and labeled. After the events of September 11, they have felt it even more. However, these experiences have not weakened their spirit but instead have made them stronger individuals while renewing their zest to conquer all odds.

Bangla East Side is not only the story of Maroofa, Mahfuja, Jemi and Saleh but also the story of all young Bangladeshi immigrants growing up in the US and experiencing similar struggles of survival. These teenagers teach us some important lessons of life – how to persevere, how to be strong and how not to compromise on one’s basic principles. Their enthusiasm for life amidst all its ups and downs transcends to the audience and gives us a chance to reflect upon our own lives and appreciate its many treasures. 

* Bangla East Side was funded in part by the Educational Alliance and the New York Times Foundation.

April, 2004