Newslife24.online Desk : For decades, Bangladeshis have been arriving to the UK in hopes of finding a better life and building something for themselves and its worked. With more than 600,000 Bangladeshis in the UK, we have established ourselves in all sectors of British life. So much so, that some would go as far as to calling the Bangladeshi creation of the chicken tikka masala the national dish! Evidently, we have made a mark. But the question is, is it still worth migrating to the UK? Are all the same opportunities to leave your personal mark available?
My short answer? No. It is simply not.
The UK climate is not the same as our fathers and forefathers found it when they arrived. Times were different, the economy was different, and it made sense to settle, work and buy houses. However, just in the past 30 years alone there’sbeen a 400%+ increase in the housing market. The same house you could buy for roughly £50,000 back in 1990, you would need to cough up £200,000+ now. That too with the average income around £37,800 in 2025, slightly above what a milkman was making annually in 1990. But the difference is that the milkman’s cost of living wasn’t as dire as it is for even the white collared workers now. He was able to buy a loaf of bread for 50p and a pint of milk for 65p, but these digits have doubled and even tripled since.
For decades, chain migration was encouraged, people came easily, and the economy was steady. It made sense to make the move in order to support existing family members back home. This is no longer the case. With the cost of living, you would have to choose between sending money back home or homelessness and that’s just the reality. The idealistic London life many Bangladeshis have mustered in their imaginations comes from the ease in which they lived as they saw their family’s receiving money from family members who lived in the UK. It meant they did not have to truly establish themselves, rather depend on income from those abroad. This has bred a generation of Bangladeshi’s who have not witnessed what it means to make a living, rather seek a life abroad in hopes of ‘easy money’ and that is just not the actuality. This mindset has to change in order for the country to develop.
If we are to do the maths, the trade-off is simply not worth it. For many, migration to London means selling land, entering into debt and leaving years of education, family and loved ones behind in hopes of earning a better living. The reality of it is that after all this, those that dreamed of a prosperous or even an ‘easy life’, end up in underpaid and overworkedhospitality roles, working tirelessly in restaurants or delivery jobs like UberEATS. I truly think it is more worthwhile to use the resources available to build and settle a life for yourself in Bangladesh. The truth about life, as we so often hear, is that it is hard, but you have to choose your hard. It will be hard if you stay, and it will be hard if you leave. which one is more fulfilling in our current economy? Bangladeshis have spent decades alongside other ethnic minorities building Britain’s economy and stabilising its future, yet we are not awarded the same opportunities as the British white man and that’s the bitter truth.
To put it in simple terms, the economy and socio-political components of a country compromises of its citizens truly being invested. It means people have to care. People have to contribute. Instead of selling land and moving to the UK where you will barely make enough to support your family now, why not invest that into something in Bangladesh? With the recent overthrow of the government, this is the time to build and prosper.
I believe if Bangladeshis put the same effort into their economy and work as they did try to attain a life in the UK, we would be looking at a complete different socio-economic position for the country. My stance comes from first-hand experience with many migrants who I believe have wasted their education, work ethic and holistically, their potential. It’s hard enough being a second-generation Bangladeshi at times,so I cannot imagine what it must be like for those trading their lives to face the reality of this so called ‘dream’, a nightmare.
Being very pro-migration myself and holding the belief thatpeople should be free to move around this world as they please, I too am someone who also looks forward to the prospect of temporarily migrating in the future, away from the UK. Perhaps this should not be a question of migration rather the ultimate question should really be, what is the dream? From where I stand, the London dream should no longer be the only option, it is not worth it in this climate. It is not impossible, just not guaranteed anymore nor worth the trade-off. I believe better things await the fate of our people in our own lands, where we can fully utilise our potential.
