Stories of the Bangladeshi community in Venice, Mestre and Marghera through food and publishing

A Convivi Acquatici series curated by wetlands and Tocia!

You are all invited to a conversation curated by Megnaa Mehtta with Him Uddin, Juairia Uddin Dekha, Hossain Iftaker and Zohora Hoque.
Through their distinct migration trajectories, they will share their unique ways of building a life in Italy from working in restaurants in Venice to pursuing a PhD and the challenges of finding meaningful work.

Venice prides itself for its rich culinary tradition and draws millions of visitors each year for its food and beauty. In the restaurants and kitchens of Venice, Bangladeshi men work
as dishwashers, waiters, chefs and are at times even owners of the restaurants. Yet, they often remain invisible as do their labour and culinary traditions.

Through a collaborative menu created by Zohora Hoque and Tocia! , the evening explores connections between flavours and cultures that have travelled from Bangladesh to Venice. Through a shared meal we explore themes of labour, migration, identity and the everyday experiences of a vibrant Bangladeshi community in Venice.

The music playlist for this evening has been curated by the mother-son duo Shohla Akter Biplobi and Hossain BM Bappi.

To learn more about Mehtta's research, you can read her article here.

Megnaa Mehtta
She is an Assistant Professor in Social Anthropology at UCL, London. Megnaa conducts research in the Bengal Delta and the Venice lagoon on a range of themes including values, migration, climate maladaptation and well-being. She is currently working on her book project Banglascapes in Venice, with wetlands, for publication in 2027.

Him Uddin
Originally from Gazipur, Bangladesh, she moved to Venice in 2024. She is currently teaching Bangla and has been a research associate on the Banglascapes in Venice project since June 2025.

Juairia Uddin Dekha
Arrived in Italy at age five from Barishal, Bangladesh, she is now a PhD candidate in Oncology and Immunology at the University of Padua/VIMM. Her research explores the link between cancer biology and immune response, and she is also a trained musician who enjoys singing.

Hossain Iftaker
Born in Bhairab, Bangladesh, Hossain moved to Italy at 14 years old and has worked as a waiter in Venice for 17 years, including at Trattoria Alla Madonna since 2015.

Zohora Hoque
She has been living in Italy for more than 20 years. Zohora works as a cultural mediator “mediatrice” for immigration services and is in her final year studying Social Work at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. She enjoys forging community through food.