British magazine The Economist has cited the educational performance of Bangladeshis in Britain as evidence that Muslim immigrant communities can make substantial gains across generations, in its latest cover story examining Islam and integration in Europe.

The September 12 edition leads with “The truth and the lies about Islam in Europe,” arguing that Islam poses no serious threat to Europe but that Islamist ideology and growing hostility toward Muslims present separate challenges. 

The magazine singled out British Bangladeshis while challenging claims that Muslim migrants are broadly failing to integrate.

It said 67% of Bangladeshis who sat standard examinations in Britain in 2021 were enrolled at university by age 19, compared with 38% of white Britons.

The figures were presented as evidence of educational progress among the children of Muslim immigrants. The Economist argued that most Muslim migrants seek to build lives in their adopted countries rather than reproduce the societies they left behind. 

The magazine, however, drew a distinction between integration and social attitudes.

Its commissioned polling found 52% of British Muslims considered homosexuality wrong. Among Muslims under 35, 41% said violence could be justified over insults to the Prophet Muhammad, compared with 25% among older Muslims. 

The Economist said concerns over such attitudes should not be conflated with claims that Europe's Muslim population represents a broader demographic threat.

The cover story comes as anti-immigration and anti-Islam politics gain ground in several European countries. It cited the Alternative for Germany’s recent electoral gains and noted that Marine Le Pen’s proposal to prohibit Islamic headscarves in public places is backed by 60% of French voters.

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