Let me relate my personal experience with
Bangladeshis.
A few years ago, I used to work in a Chinese restaurant as a waiter
during my schooling days. While working, I got to know a few
Bangladeshis who worked there as dish washers. They work hard but
get paid little, they are very prudent with money. They seldom buy
lunch, preferring to cook their own small meals and share it
amongst themselves. Whatever money they have, they will remit it
back to their folks in Bangladesh.
These dish washers are usually reserved and quiet folks, who prefer
to mix with their own people. And that is the reason why they are
constantly bullied by the other workers from Malaysia and even
Singapore. As a very young man, there was nothing I could do even
though I feel sorry for them. The only thing I could do is to be
friendly with them and make them feel better.
Slowly, I got to know these people better. They are actually
extremely nice people if you know them well, hell, they are just
like you and me. Some of them have degrees from their universities
back in their country but are forced to work here in low-paying
jobs because of the bad economic situation. Imagine, with a decent
degree and the ability to speak some English, they are forced to
face these unreasonable and unkind colleagues who discriminate them
because of their race and colour. How would you feel if your in
their shoes? Tell me...
Granted, there are those Bangladeshis who are nasty and get cheeky
in large crowds. But come on, tell me how many local guys, when
they are in a big group and in a crowded place, tend not to get
their hands all around? There are local guys who do that do, but
they get away with it because they are locals. When a Bangladeshi
does it, he gets all the stick and bat. It just aint fair and not
right.
Anyways, back to my Bangladeshi friends. After I started talking
and joking with them, they slowly warmed up to me. Whenever I saw
them eating, they will offer me their food. No matter how little
they have. Well, I would loved to see Singaporeans do that.
Remember, these folks have little to spend and very little to eat,
and yet they offered me whatever little they have. Speaks volumes
of them.
I realised they like to hold their friends' hands, and I asked them
why. Well, some of you might be interested to know that it means
they are real good friends. Only good friends do it. Its their
culture. Yes, we find it weird and maybe disturbing, but did you
know that many other cultures find us eating fish head as weird and
disturbing too? So, get over it and learn to accept them.
We slowly became good friends, and whenever I bring the dishes to
them, they will greet me heartily and joke with me. There were
times I even tried to stand up for them when they were bullied. But
that was only after I had worked at the restaurant for a
while.
A few weeks later, they offered me sweets, which I politely
declined. They insisted on me having it, saying that only give
sweets to good friends and it is considered rude to decline them. I
smiled at them and took it gratefully.
I have now lost contact with them. But they did took a picture with
me saying they want to send it back to their folks in the hometown.
I was touched and grateful that I got to know such simple and kind
people. Sure beats many Singaporeans that I know of.
The bottom line is, learn to see through face value. Take the bad
with the good. Bangladeshis are just like us, they can be kind
folks if you get to know them. Stop the name calling, you would not
want an ang moh to call us chinese pigs right? I believe in one
thing : Dun do onto others what you dun want others to do to
you.
Dorian-X, and a few others here: I understand the rage you have for
them. But please, stop these name callings, your behaviour borders
on the extreme. You certainly dun want your children to grow up
thinking like you, do you? There are many nice Bangladeshis out
there, just like there are many bad Bangladeshis. Same goes with
the local population. Maybe, one day, if you get to know a
Bangladeshis will your mentality change. Think about it a
Bangladeshis may have done nasty things to your girlfriend. But a
local guy may have just been as capable of doing the same thing.
Just like a Chinese worker or a Malaysian worker. I know of some
good Malaysian friends, are they all bad?
