Three Bangladeshis, including cultural activist Inam, detained in New York
Cultural activist Inamul Haque Inam, detained by ICE. Photo: Collected.
The detention of several Bangladeshis by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency in New York State has sparked concern within the expatriate community. Among those detained is Inamul Haque Inam, a well-known figure in the Bangladeshi community and a cultural activist.
Inam was detained last Wednesday. Since then, people familiar with him have said they have been unable to contact him.
Inam came to the United States about 42 years ago. He lived in Jamaica, New York, for many years. Alongside his involvement in cultural activities, he was also engaged in organising entertainment programmes.
Inam used to bring actors, actresses and musicians from Bangladesh to the United States to perform at 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. He later settled in Buffalo, a city about 400 miles from New York City. Some of his acquaintances have claimed that despite living in the United States for many years, he was unable to obtain the necessary documents to reside there legally. However, no statement from the relevant authorities has been obtained regarding this claim.
Another Bangladeshi businessman in Buffalo was detained by ICE about a week ago. Known as Babu, he owns a Bangladeshi restaurant on Kenmore Avenue. He was previously a resident of the T&T Colony in Moghbazar, Dhaka. He has yet to be released following his detention, and 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 heightened concern among members of Buffalo’s Bangladeshi community.
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.
Analysing government data, the report further stated that the total 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 US Department of Homeland Security disputed the accuracy of the data and the analysis.
