Many people moved from Bangladesh to Birmingham in the 1970s, after the country declared its independence in 1971, but this project focuses on the earlier settlers. Its particular focus is on their efforts to retain cultural identity and religious practice in an unfamiliar environment.

Volunteers of all ages will be offered training in interviewing, archiving, translation and transcription skills. They will also collect photographs, letters and documents to be used alongside the memories in a bilingual book, for the Connecting Histories website and to form the basis of a play.

The aim of the project is to help the younger generation find out more about the lives of their ancestors and the sacrifices and struggles they underwent in their new home.