Oral History Interview with Kobir Chowdhury: Muslims in Brooklyn oral histories: NYU Special Collections Finding Aids

Scope and Contents

In this interview, Kobir Chowdhury discusses his childhood in Bangladesh; leaving his family behind when he immigrated to the United States alone as a teenager; and settling in the East New York neighborhood of Brooklyn. He expands on his work in the service industry, real estate, and banking after arriving in New York; his continued ties to his home village in the Sylhet District in Bangladesh; and his involvement with Masjid Al-Aman in East New York. He also talks about his Muslim faith, his marriage to his wife, and raising their son. Interview conducted by Liz H. Strong.

Biographical / Historical

Kobir Chowdhury was born in 1974 in the Sylhet District in Bangladesh. He immigrated to the United States in 1991 and settled in the East New York neighborhood of Brooklyn. He worked in real estate and banking after arriving in New York. He also attended Masjid Al-Aman in East New York and began to take on leadership roles in the mosque in the 2010s, including serving as an advisor to the executive committee and as the president of the mosque's board.

Conditions Governing Access

This interview can be accessed onsite at the Center for Brooklyn History's Othmer Library and online at the Oral History Portal.

Subjects

Topics

Bangladeshis -- New York (State) -- Kings County; Child rearing -- New York (State) -- Kings County; Crime -- New York (State) -- Kings County; Faith-based human services -- New York (State) -- Kings County; Immigrants -- New York (State) -- Kings County; Islamic religious education of children -- New York (State) -- Kings County; Religion and ethics; Religion in the workplace -- New York (State) -- Kings County; Real estate investment -- New York (State) -- Kings County

Places

Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.); East New York (New York, N.Y.); Ozone Park (New York, N.Y.); Queens (New York, N.Y.); Sylhet District (Bangladesh)