Bengalis in Pakistan

Bengalis in Pakistan are ethnic Bengali people who had lived in either West Pakistan or East Pakistan prior to 1971 or live in present-day Pakistan. Most Pakistani Bengalis, are bilingual speaking both Urdu and Bengali and are mainly settled in Karachi. Bengalis that arrived in Pakistan before 1971 have now assimilated with the Urdu-speaking people in Karachi.
Despite the historical fact that Bangladesh was formerly East Pakistan, the term 'Pakistani Bengali' is now no longer popularly used. However, a large population of nearly 2 million exists.
The absence of strong bilateral communication between the two nations prevents Pakistani Bengalis from visiting relatives in Bangladesh or sending financial support. Local employers practice hiring Bangladeshis because their charges for work are lower than local Pakistanis. Their lack of citizenship documentation makes them vulnerable to exploitation by employers. Additionally, the absence of a birth registration certificate (referred to as a B-form) has obstructed the education of many and, without a Computerised National ID Card (CNIC), barred them from pursuing high-paying job opportunities.
The founding members of the Pakistani Bengali community were early migrants from East Bengal who arrived in Sindh during the early 20th century. This community of early Bengali settlers assimilated into Pakistani culture and adopted Urdu or became bilingual Bengali speakers.
After Pakistan's independence in 1947, a large influx of Bengalis arrived in Karachi from East Pakistan to West Pakistan. In 1971, some Bengalis opted to return to the newly independent Bangladesh while others opted to remain in Pakistan.
Thousands of East Pakistan Bengalis were living in West Pakistan before the 1971 war and Bangladeshi immigrants arrived in Pakistan right after their war against the same country. These Bengalis were Pakistan supporters, however, due to the political climate of the war they were not socially accepted or granted citizenship of Pakistan. By 1995, continuous migration of Bangladeshis crossed the 1,500,000 mark. During the administration of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, members of the political party became concerned with the large Bangladeshi migrant population, afraid they could become the second largest group in Karachi after the Muhajir people and disturb sensitive demographics. Crime was also becoming a rising concern. Accordingly, Bhutto ordered a crackdown and deportation of Bangladeshi immigrants. Benazir Bhutto's action strained and created tensions in Bangladesh–Pakistan relations, with Khaleda Zia, who was in power in Dhaka during the time, refusing to accept the deportees and reportedly sending two planeloads back towards Pakistan and Muslim political parties in Pakistan criticising Bhutto and dubbing the crackdown as anti-Islamic. She was ultimately forced to abandon the order.
In 2021, it was reported that over two million Bangladeshis illegally resided in Pakistan. The Bangladeshi government has refused to accept refugees because it is government policy to not accept citizens who left the country illegally.
In 2024, the Pakistan Rangers caught at least one Bangladeshi crossing into the country illegally from the eastern border.
According to Shaikh Muhammad Feroze, chairman of the Pakistani Bengali Action Committee, over 200 settlements of Bengali-speaking people exist in Pakistan (mainly in Sindh) of which 132 are in Karachi while other smaller communities exist in Thatta, Badin, Hyderabad, Tando Adam and Lahore. There are numerous Bengali colonies in Karachi, often called "Little Bangladesh" (or East Pakistan Colony in memorandum), such as Machar Colony, Musa Colony and Chittagong Colony. Colorful Bengali signboards, Bhashani caps, lungis and kurtas are often seen in these areas of Karachi and remain unique. The Chittagong Colony has a bazaar, which is famous throughout Pakistan as the center for Dhaka cloth. In more recent times, the Bengali population has seen a decline as the journey from Bangladesh is dangerous and crosses the tense India-Pakistan border. Furthermore, given the tense ethnic rivalries and lack of social acceptance in Pakistan, Bengalis have now been migrating elsewhere. Instances of Bengali Pakistanis being denied access to essential public services, such as hospitals and clinics, are frequently reported. Several cases have emerged where Bengalis, despite possessing official Pakistani National Identity Cards (NIC), were rejected by hospitals and denied medical assistance solely due to their Bengali heritage.