Is racism taking root in Romania?

In late August 2025, Bucharest, Romania's capital, was the scene of a violent hate crime: Ismail Hossain, a Bangladeshi delivery worker, was assaulted on the street while at work.

The incident, filmed by the assailant, drew attention to growing cases of racism and xenophobia. Accounts range from off-duty police interventions to NGO reports on migrant workers’ experiences, highlighting the difficulties faced by foreigners in Romania and the wider social tensions around immigration and integration.