Several Bangladeshi Bronx Residents Attacked In Possible Hate Crimes Against Muslims
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- There's been a rise in attacks on Bangladeshi residents living in the Bronx this year as authorities are investigating the incidents as possible hate crimes against Muslims.
CBS2's Magdalena Doris reported the NYPD are investigating six similar incidents in the Parkchester section of the Bronx where Bangladeshi people were targeted.
Mohammed Saifur Rahman, who was attacked in front of his home in April, said there have been three other attacks on his Bangladeshi neighbors on his block.
"He don't say anything, asking about the money, any phone, anything," Rahman said about his attack. "He punched me and I fell down. I was bleeding in my eyes, my nose."
Rahman and other Muslim victims held a meeting Wednesday with police and the New York City Commission on Human Rights as they addressed the issue of hate crimes in their neighborhood.
"In the last seven months, at least seven incidents were seriously reported, and people are scared to report for retaliation," Mohammed Mujumder, president of the Bangladesh American Community Council.
Thousands of Bangladeshi immigrants have moved to the Bronx in the past two decades and set up a life. Victims of attacks, however, said the attitude toward their community changed in the past year.
Mujibur Rahman said his attackers called him "ISIS" while he was beaten when he was picking up his niece from school in January.
"All of a sudden I became blurry and fell on the ground," Rahman said.
Ataur Rahman was beaten and robbed by two men in February and is now missing most of his teeth.
"I cannot hear from my left ear," he said.
The NYPD is asking crime victims in the Bangladeshi community to call the cops, noting these incidents go unreported many times.
The victims said they're happy they reported what happened, and in each case, their attackers were arrested.