Bengali community protest against shooting and ongoing crime

Members of the Bengali community gathered at Jayne Park on Sunday to protest the shooting of a fellow community member and the general rise in crime.

By Charles Sercombe
Members of the Bangladeshi community say a recent shooting may be a hate crime.
Members of the community gathered last Sunday afternoon next to the Banglatown welcome sign on Conant to raise attention to the incident.
According to community leaders, Saleh Ahmed was shot in his house on Klinger in Detroit last Wednesday morning at 6 a.m.
According to a press release issued by the community, someone knocked on his door. When he opened the door Ahmed was shot point-blank.
“Mr. Saleh Ahmed was getting ready for work and heard a knock on the door. As soon he opened the door he was shot in the mouth,” said the press release.
Ahmed is in serious condition and is hospitalized.
The suspect has not been identified or arrested.
The motive for the shooting is unclear. Some have speculated that the shooting was random, but others say the victim may have known the suspect.
At Sunday’s rally, community members held up signs demanding justice. Speakers also lashed out at the Detroit Police Department for not responding to their calls for help in general.

Nazel Huda said the community is frustrated. “This is insane, enough is enough,” he said.

Some said it took Detroit police 50 minutes to arrive at the crime scene. In other incidents, community members said police often do not respond to calls.
“People are fed up,” said Nayeem Choudhury. “A lot of people want to move out of the city. It’s about safety first.”
A speaker at the rally said community members are also frustrated because they pay high property taxes but do not get services from the city.
“Detroit is getting free money from our community. We get nothing back,” said one speaker at the rally.
Nazel Huda, a spokesman for the community, said street crimes have been increasing and that Bengalis are being targeted.
“We have seen previously that people are robbed at gunpoint right in front of their houses … and there are breaking and enterings in businesses,” he said. “This is insane, enough is enough. Let’s be united and fight against this open secret hate crime.”

Oct. 26, 2018