What is community? Is it the self-made groups we associate ourselves with, or is it the webs we are born into? How does national and cultural identity shape our understanding of ourselves and the world? One documentary explores these exact questions as it unravels the complexities of being Bangladeshi American in today’s world.

Vivek Bald’s 2022 documentary “In Search of Bengali Harlem” follows the personal journey of Alauddin Ullah, a New York City-based actor, director and comedian. Ullah grew up in the neighborhoods of Harlem during the 1970s to ’80s and had two Muslim Bangladeshi immigrant parents. Like many other teens who were a part of New York’s artistic scene during the era, Alauddin found himself immersed in hip-hop and graffiti culture — distancing himself from his Bangladeshi Muslim heritage. At one point, the artist even went as far as to change his name while promoting South Asian stereotypes in popular films such as “American Desi” in order to create a barrier between himself and the idea of being “other” in America.

The film is rooted in the director Vivek Bald’s scholarly work trying to uncover Bangladeshi immigration in the early 1900s. Bald, who currently teaches at MIT, recently hosted a film screening on Friday, Oct. 24 in MIT’s Bartos Theater. He proudly shared his 20-year film project with a packed audience. The Wellesley Bangladeshi Student Association (BSA) helped promote the event, which featured food, drinks and an in-depth discussion about the film’s creation led by Bald himself and editor Beyza Boyacıoğlu.

Ullah shares how he is haunted by a sense of not knowing himself, his parents and his culture due to his early defiance. The film honors the life and adversity of Alauddin’s father, Habib, and mother, Mohina. Alauddin lost his father at a young age and feels he does not know him at all — more strikingly, Habib did not know his son. Both his parents shared a significant age gap, as Mohina was only in her late teens when she married a then 70-year-old Habib after he lost his first wife.

​The documentary focuses on the resilience of Alauddin’s mother, subtly highlighting social constructions of gender norms in the Bengali community. The documentary subtly emphasizes how patriarchal values are deeply embedded in Bangladesh’s sociocultural framework. Watching the film as a Bangladeshi woman, I was reminded of the harsh reality that many women in my nation face. Child marriage, underappreciated and sometimes forced domestic labor and isolation are common shared experiences. 

Fatema Chowdhury ’28, a BSA member and attendee of the event, also gave critical insight into the film: “I thought it very accurately captured so many nuances and so many feelings when it comes to understanding the immigrant story of your parents,” she recalled.  

“I think there was a point in my life where I also didn’t have a Bangladeshi community to look up to … and I think a lot of resentment [Alauddin] held towards Bangladeshi culture was because of not having that community,” Chowdhury adds. 

​Community provides a sense of belonging and broadens one’s awareness of the world. To come to a new land and try to create a space for yourself provokes some sense of loneliness and seclusion. The film forces audiences to question their role within society and their sense of communal belonging. 

​“Culture and community go hand in hand. It’s like a mutually beneficial relationship,” Chowdhury shared. “If you have a community, you will ultimately preserve some parts of the culture, some parts of the language, and the food. I think it just comes naturally.” 

I personally grew up under very different circumstances than Alauddin as a dual Bangladeshi and American citizen; however, his story is vital to understanding the importance of community, language and the arts. The film gives a voice to many immigrant families that share a complex relationship with their surroundings. 

“In Search of Bengali Harlem” is a beautiful documentary highlighting what it means to be human, and perhaps a bit flawed. The work is a reminder of why we need each other to progress — not just individually, but as a collective. Furthermore, it is important to continue conversations about what it means to be Bangladeshi in today’s geopolitical context as the nation is actively rebuilding its identity. Stories like Alauddin’s are a reminder that we all have a space and voice, and most of our lives might be meant to search for community.