Venice is beautiful, but inside there is a struggle': Bangladeshi candidates eye historic breakthrough

Rhitu Miah, an architect and Italian citizen of Bangladeshi origin, faced harsh racist and sexist comments online after announcing her candidacy for Venice’s local election. She described being told to “get on a camel and go back” and said she tried to respond calmly but found it difficult not to cry. Her campaign is driven by a desire to combat prejudice and to challenge fear-based narratives. Miah is one of seven Bangladeshi candidates standing on a centre-left Democratic Party list, aiming for seats in Venice’s council across Venice and surrounding municipalities. The Bangladeshi community, largely based in Mestre, sees the election as a potential historic breakthrough and a sign of broader political change away from conservative rule.

"Rhitu Miah, one of seven candidates from the Bangladeshi-Italian community standing in Venice's local election, is used to brushing off racist or sexist comments. But she was taken aback by the virulence of the negative comments online when she announced she would run for the council potentially making her one of the first people of Bangladeshi origin ever elected in the lagoon city's administration. There were hateful messages one person told me to get on a camel and go back to my own country, says Miah, an Italian citizen who moved to Venice with her family at aged three through her father's job at the Fincantieri shipyard, a huge importer of labour from Bangladesh."

"I tried to let it be and reply with a smile but it was difficult not to cry. This is also a reason why I'm running [to combat these prejudices]. Miah, an architect whose social media accounts focusing on integration have more than 200,000 followers, is one of seven Bangladeshi candidates standing for election on Sunday and Monday on a centre-left Democratic party (PD) list. The contingent is aiming for seats in Venice council, comprising Mestre on the mainland; and in various other municipalities, led by the mayoral candidate Andrea Martella, a PD senator."

"For Venice's Bangladeshi community, which numbers roughly 20,000 people, predominantly living in Mestre, the ballot could mark a historic political breakthrough. It's important we're an established, growing community with skills to help contribute to the city, says Miah. Rhitu Miah: They ignited a campaign of fear against us, saying that we will change the rules and ruin Venice.' Furthermore, a win for the centre-left would end 11 years of conservative rule in Venice, sending a further sign to Giorgia Meloni's far-right national government, already rattled by a failed referendum on judicial reform in March, of an opposition regaining momentum."

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