Migration Patterns of Bangladeshis to Germany: Expectations, Strategies, and Realizations

In contrast to migrants from other countries, Bangladeshis in Germany have not yet been in the focus of research—despite the fact that their number is increasing continuously. While Bangladesh is geographically situated in South Asia, its people have their own unique languages, social, cultural and national heritage and identities. Collapsing them under the large category of South Asia keeps them in the shadow and marginalises their voices. Thus, Bangladeshi migrants in Germany deserve their own attention.

This research will primarily focus on legal and illegal migration patterns of Bangladeshis to Germany by revealing the experiences, expectations and realisations of migrants of various backgrounds. Furthermore, it will analyse the socio-cultural and political dynamics within the Bangladeshi diaspora in Germany. Besides the socio-economic developments among people of Bangladeshi origin, it will also examine the impact of the integration policy by the Germany state on these processes. The results of this study will contribute to a broader, more multifaceted view of the situation of Bangladeshis in Germany. They will allow different narratives beyond the usual stereotypes and help to make the voices of Bangladeshis of various backgrounds to be heard more clearly. Moreover, this study aims to contribute to discourses on migration and integration policies by the German state, the European Union and international institutions.

In order to collect empirical data, two main methods—virtual ethnography and qualitative case studies—are going to be employed in this research. Whereas virtual ethnography is a potent way to understand how virtual Bangladeshi communities in Germany maintain a common belonging in cyber space, qualitative case studies contribute elaborately individual narratives and help to understand the complexity of migration patterns.