New York: Several Bangladeshis have been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in New York State, raising concern within the expatriate community. Among those detained is Inamul Haque Inam, a familiar face in the Bangladeshi community and a cultural worker. Inam was detained last Wednesday. Since then, acquaintances have said they have been unable to contact him.
Inam came to the United States about 42 years ago. He lived for a long time in Jamaica, New York. Alongside his cultural activities, he was involved in organizing entertainment events. Inam used to bring actors, actresses and singers from Bangladesh to the United States to take part in various events. In the 1990s, artists such as Ferdous Wahid and Kumar Bishwajit visited New York at his invitation.
A few years ago, Inam moved to Virginia. Later, he began living in Buffalo, a city about 400 miles from New York City. Some acquaintances have claimed that despite living in the United States for many years, he was unable to obtain the necessary documents for lawful residence. However, no statement from the relevant authorities has been obtained regarding this claim.
ICE also detained another Bangladeshi businessman in Buffalo about a week ago. The man, known as Babu, owns a Bangladeshi restaurant on Kenmore Avenue. He was originally from the T&T Colony area of Moghbazar in Dhaka. He has not yet been released following his detention, according to people who know him. His restaurant has also closed.
Earlier, Bangladeshi national Zakir Hossain was detained in Buffalo. Although he had a green card, he did not have it with him at the time of his detention. He was subsequently released. These incidents have increased concern among the Bangladeshi community in Buffalo.
A report published on September 1 by Western New York media outlets Buffalo Toronto Public Media (BTPM) and WXXI News said the number of people detained by ICE in Upstate New York had exceeded 600 in July 2026.
An analysis of government data cited in the report also showed that the number of people detained by ICE across New York State had reached approximately 1,500 by the same period. The analysis found that nearly four out of every five people detained in Upstate New York had no criminal history. However, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security disputed the accuracy of the data and analysis.
