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Death of NYPD officer spotlights rise of Bangladeshi immigrants within ranks
New York Police officers hang a banner for the funeral of officer Didarul Islam, Thursday, July 31, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)2025-08-09T04:01:56Z NEW YORK (AP) Outside the Bronx mosque where a New York City police officer was eulogized last week, a group of officers in their formal navy blue uniforms solemnly hung a banner bearing the young officers photograph and the name of his fraternity, the Bangladeshi American Police Association.Didarul Islam one of four people killed in the July 28 shooting at the Manhattan office tower housing the NFLs headquarters was the NYPDs first Bangladeshi American officer killed in the line of duty.His funeral underscored the fertile recruiting ground the department has found in the citys thriving Bangladeshi community. More than 1,000 of the NYPDs roughly 33,000 uniformed members are Bangladeshi Americans, according to the association. Another 1,500 people of Bangladeshi heritage are among the departments 19,000 civilian employees. Those numbers are up from just a handful of officers a few decades ago, a phenomenon some Bangladeshi officers attribute partly to their own patriotic response to anti-Muslim sentiment after the 9/11 attacks, as well as active recruitment and word-of-mouth in the community. Among the sea of NYPD officers who lined the street to honor Islam, 36, were some who opted for traditional South Asian attire, their police badges worn around their necks. Many joined the throngs of mourners who knelt in the street in prayer. Stay up to date with the latest U.S. news by signing up to our WhatsApp channel. He actually uplifted our community in a way that was not imaginable before, said Shamsul Haque, one of the co-founders of the NYPDs Bangladeshi officers group. His legacy will endure not only as a hero who gave his life protecting others, but also as a symbol of hope, integrity and the American dream. Bangladeshi immigrants join NYPD following Sept. 11 terror attacksWhen Haque joined the NYPD in 2004, he was one of just a few Bangladeshi immigrants. Many of those who joined around then wanted to dispel the notion that all Muslims were terrorist sympathizers, he said.Haque, who immigrated to the U.S. in 1991, had recently graduated college with a business administration degree when the twin towers fell. But rather than follow his peers into a financial field, he enrolled in the police academy, a decision he acknowledged was initially met with skepticism from his parents.In the aftermath of 9/11, the NYPD built up a domestic surveillance program that for years systematically spied on Muslim communities and monitored local businesses, mosques and student groups in a hunt for terror cells.Haque, 52, who retired earlier this year after becoming the first South Asian and first Muslim to attain the rank of lieutenant commander in the NYPD, said the perception of Muslims among rank-and-file members has improved. Early in his career, he recalled feeling singled out when a counterterrorism expert warned officers during a training session about the possibility of al-Qaida operatives infiltrating the force.Over the years, people started to realize that we work hard, we are ethical, Haque said. Although we are immigrants, we are patriotic. Path to NYPD badge begins with civilian police jobsTo grow their numbers, Haque and others went out into the community proselytizing a sensible path for recently arrived immigrants.Aspiring Bangladeshi officers were encouraged to take civilian jobs in the department, such as traffic enforcement officers and school safety agents, that dont require U.S. citizenship. After gaining citizenship, usually in about five years, they could then apply for the police academy to become a uniformed officer. Some 60% of all officers of Bangladeshi heritage in the NYPD followed this pipeline, Haque estimated. Islam, the officer killed last week, began his career as a school safety officer after immigrating to the U.S. about 16 years ago.The visible growth of Bangladeshis in the NYPD has helped many aspire to leadership roles in the department, just as generations of Irish, Italian and Latino immigrants did before them.Among the uniformed officers with Bangladeshi roots are 10 detectives, 82 sergeants, 20 lieutenants and four inspectors, said Sgt. Ershadur Siddique, current president of the Bangladeshi American Police Association. The departments uniformed ranks are roughly 38% white, 33% Hispanic, 17% Black and nearly 12% Asian, according to NYPD data.I never dreamt that I would go this far, but I always had an ambition to go somewhere where I can be challenged, said Siddique, now a member of Mayor Eric Adams security detail. I always say, Listen, give me a chance, see if I can do better than anybody else, you know? Give me a chance. Young officer reflects on shootingIshmam Chowdhury, a 26-year-old officer who graduated from the academy in May, said Islams death just a few months into his own career has left a lasting impression.Like Islams wife, who is expecting their third child, Chowdhurys wife is due to give birth to their first soon.It just hit us a little different because like that made us think, what if it happens to me today? It can, he said. So yeah, I guess thats a wake-up call for us that even though this is a noble job, we are definitely at grave risk. Chowdhury said he dreamed of joining law enforcement even before he immigrated to the U.S. in 2019. As a teenager in Bangladesh, he and other family members were robbed multiple times. The feeling of helplessness and humiliation stuck with him, he said.Chowdhury started as an unarmed volunteer member of the NYPD auxiliary before joining the civilian ranks as a 911 operator in 2021.He also served about a year in the police force in Washington, D.C., after it opened applications to green card holders in 2023, but he and his wife felt isolated from friends and family. So after receiving his citizenship last year, the couple moved back to Queens and he enrolled in the police academy.Thats what makes this city, this country, great. It doesnt matter where somebody comes from, Chowdhury said. If somebody really works hard and truly wants to do something, they can do it.___Associated Press writer Deepti Hajela contributed to this report.___Follow Philip Marcelo at https://x.com/philmarcelo PHILIP MARCELO Marcelo is a general assignment reporter in the NYC bureau. He previously wrote for AP Fact Check and before that was based in Boston, where he focused on race and immigration. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site
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