Keep an eye on the vulnerable during Ramadan As many British Muslims begin to plan for a month of fasting whilst they endure, reflect and build solidarity among fellow Muslim men and women, it is also a time to reflect on what has impacted this community in recent years and protect the most vulnerable moving forward.  Having grown up in a Muslim family, I can imagine many Muslims are beginning to prepare psychologically for a change in their routine where they refrain from eating and drinking between dawn and nightfall. As they break their fast they are going to consume extra sugar content. The weather condition this year is a blessing due to shorter days and chilled temperatures. A few years ago one of my colleagues had to break his fast due to dehydration and exhaustion on an unbearable hot summer's day. Extreme heat can be a threat to many people’s lives. This is particularly the case when there are underlying health conditions and those who are elderly. Living conditions &

Due to the severity of Covid-19 amongst Bangladeshi communities in Britain, BritBanglaCovid has organised Health & Social Care Crisis Public Meeting on 23 August 2020 at 3pm.  You can hear from doctors,  care worker, carer and domestic violence sufferer and many more! Have your say on the subject matter in order for our government, councils and community activists to take action.  If you want to take part in the event, you must register on EventBrite and have your say. This is urgent! https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/health-social-care-crisis-for-britbangla-tickets-115043678740

EARLY LIFE Ima Miah came to the UK as a toddler. She was brought up in a typical Bangladeshi family. She was one of six children. ‘My father was here (in the UK) from the 1960s. My village gran parents were the early cohort of people coming over. My family has been deep rooted for many many decades,’ she explains. When they joined their father in the UK, they first lived in a tiny restaurant in Crystal Palace, South London. Eventually, they lived in a house in Beckenham. She lived in the area for   over 30 years.   ‘I do remember living in a very white community compared to my cousins who lived in Camden and East End…We would have weekly trips into town where my dad would make it absolute priority to go every week at some point in one of the relative's houses. This is how I was able to learn about Bangladeshi culture’. ‘I remember going pass   East End and being quite tearful because I felt I’ve gone back to Bangladesh. I’ve never seen so many brown faces! Living in a town like Bec

Ritha Chowdhury shares her experience of Covid on BritBanglacovid. Her Uber driver husband lost his job, 300 colleagues on furlough scheme and many redundancies. She knows two people died of Covid. She is now the main breadwinner of her home.

BRITISH BANGLADESHIS ARE TWICE LIKELY TO DIE FROM COVID THAN THE WHITE POPULATION.  WHAT IS TO BE DONE?

As a boy Mahbub ULLAH felt the spirit of change for Bengalis from the Pakistani Army.  When he came to the UK he was attacked racially.  His mother died of Covid-19.  Currently he is shielding.  EARLY LIFE Mahbub   was born in Bogra, one of the districts in Bangladesh. His father’s engineering job, brought him to Dhaka, the capital city. He was brought up with five brothers and four sisters. He was part of a typical middle class Bengali family at the time. Thebvalue of education was central to this household.  He emphasises that: ‘some might have two degrees, some might have three degrees, some might have four degrees.   Once you have finished education, you then think about earnings. Not before.’ FREEDOM FOR BENGALIS Mahbub was 7 years old when he was exposed the reality of the liberation movement for Bangladesh in 1971. He has seen people being shot dead and stabbed in front of him. He personally ran away from the Pakistani Army when they came to his village.  ‘Luckily me, my brother

Nurun Nessa explains her experience as a migrant housewife, mother and Covid-19. She was born in Sylhet, Bangladesh. She married when she was 16. Her husband came to the UK as a manual laborer. She then joined him in 1986 with her 5 children. Since coming to the UK the household lived in many different parts of London until they were housed by Tower Hamlets Council. She has been living in Wapping since 1997. A number of her neighbours have died of Covid.

Abdulla Almamun plays a huge part in the local faith community by carrying on motivating volunteers to develop their confidence and morale during COVID-19. EARLY LIFE Abdulla was born in Sylhet, Bangladesh. He came to the UK in 1988 with  his family. Since then he was brought up in Whitechapel, Tower Hamlets, near East London Mosque.   He has three sisters and a brother. His father owned a factory and was involved in transfer of money business. His mother was a home-keeper. According to Abdulla  she made sure that: ‘we went to school, wake up, come back, go the local mosque, feed us, look after us.  We were fortunate, Alhamdulillah’.  He lived in the same five bedroom house with his family  until he was married.   He stepped out of Tower Hamlets when he decided to study at Kingsway College, Holborn. TOWER HAMLETS His dad was active in the community and part of the local Labour Party. Abdulla goes on to say that: ‘Initially, I hated politics.   I wanted nothing   to do with my dad. I do