We need to protect our community against a new wave. We've come a long way in Britain regardless of what mainstream media say about us Bangladeshis in Britain! Many of us live in overcrowded housing conditions  just like many Pakistanis.  We also work in public facing jobs just like many Afro- Caribbean communities.  Regardless of our challenges, according to the government's  Covid Disparities Report 2021 published on 3 December 2021: 'Bangladeshi group was the only ethnic group...the highest vaccine uptake at 91.7%.' We must not forget how far we, as a community, have come. We just need to push a bit more to protect ourselves from Omicron by getting a booster. -------------

Dabirul Islam Choudhury OBE was born in 1920 during period of British imperial rule in India. He is now 101 year old. He observed the collapse of the empire and saw the emergence of a new nation for Bengalis in front of his eyes. Whilst Bangladesh was forming in 1971, he remembers the loss of lives of so many Bangladeshis. The global pandemic brought back memories of the lives lost. During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in 2020 he fundraised over £500,000 to save lives of British citizens. He donated the funds to help protect the NHS. He was made an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) by the Queen for his campaign work.

Royal London Hospital Nurse reflects on early life, journey to nursing to care for her community during Pandemic Early life of Bushara Bushara is one of eight children: seven sisters and one brother. Her parents came to the UK in the early eighties.  Her eldest sister was born in Bangladesh. All other siblings were born in Tower Hamlets.   She always lived in the East  End.   Initially they lived in Shadwell Gardens but since then lived around Globe Road, Bethnal Green. She explains that her family: ‘lived as squatters and it came to a point where eventually the council gave them a council property. so I've been living here since 15 years now, I think.’ Her parents did not speak English. To address the gap Bushara and her siblings learnt to speak Bengali to communicate with them.   She went to Central Foundation School. Once she finished studying at School and then college, she started working at a local Job Centre. She kept on working there even after she got married in 2015.    

 This winter is going to be a testing period for minority communities in the UK. We are front line workers, living in overcrowded conditions and in contact with Covid.  A public awareness campaign is crucial for this community.  BritBanglaCovid is to organise further campaigns to make sure minority community lives are saved. We also need to protect the NHS.

Daily Star writes about the work of BritBanglaCovid and how the pandemic may have developed Bangladeshi leadership in Britain, US and Australia. You can read more about our work by clicking below.

CEO of Bangla Housing  reflects on his struggle in Britain, career in community development and Covid campaign to challenge Covid misinformation. EARLY LIFE Bashir Uddin was born in Bangladesh. He came to the United Kingdom in 1966 as an 11 year old boy.  He observed, at the time, he was one of few young boys from Bangladesh among young adults.  He stated that:  ‘And they are keen to work in the factories, as labourers and, and people started to bring their sons and nephews to the country… People didn't bring their families because they didn't think the point of bringing the family… you have to look after them, you have to have feed them’ Those who came from Bangladesh were economically beneficial to the family who they have left behind.  These men would   work for six months, a year or a couple of years, and then go back to Bangladesh and stay there for another six months, and then come back to the UK. This would be their routine pattern. He stated that:  ‘I don't think, a

In times of the pandemic raising funds for burial is essential to help minority Muslim communities. Just we have seen the numbers of deaths of Bangladeshis in Britain had risen, so was the demand to raise funds for burial for those who passed away. For those who are less fortunate such as households in   low income and with no recourse to public funds, they rely on donations from organisations that Yousuf Khan works for. Yousuf works as a funeral funds manager at 13 Rivers Trust, a charity that helps fund Muslim burial.    Covid has made raising funds for Muslim Bangladeshi  communities crucial because if you have no savings, it's impossible to pay for burial costs.  ‘So since last April, till now, we carried out around 125 burials for region... Most of them  don't have a family, or they have partial family relatives or it would be with two young children,  wife  and the husband passed away. So the wife is not earning, they don't have money to bury. So this is why Muslim bu

A chef from the East End fears for the future of the predominantly Bengali run 'Indian curry' trade. Covid-19 just made things worse for the industry.  A chef from the East End of London fears for the future of predominantly Bangladeshi run 'Indian curry'. Covid-19 just made things worse for the industry.  Atikur Rahman is a chef in Graam Bangla restaurant, Brick Lane. He reveals to BritBanglaCovid some of the challenges the curry sector is facing. The pandemic has just made things worse. 'Covid is killing us' he states. Tourists are not visiting Brick Lane and mostly Bengali owned restaurants are feeling the stress of lockdown and it's financial cost. He emphasises that there is also a confusion with the Indian variant of Covid-19 with Bangladeshi owned restaurants because these restaurants are 'Indian restaurants'. Younger Bangladeshi generations are also not interested in working hard to keep the sector moving forward due to late nights a

Salam Jones speaks about his experience of depression and how minority mental men do not speak about depression and mental health.  He speaks about depression during the lockdown in order to get people talking about mental health and to remove the taboo of speaking up on the issue. He also feels that ethnic minority men do not speak about mental health because it's not a manly thing to do. BritBanglaCovid has been campaigning on health related issues during the pandemic because we have noticed how minority communities have been significantly impacted by Covid-19 for so many reasons. Here is an opportunity to raise awareness of mental health issues among ethnic minority communities during and after the lifting of the national lockdown.

  "I heard stories from people who'd lost their loved ones, who are made redundant and shielding." There are many reasons we're taking steps to protect our loved ones during COVID-19. Find out more about how you can protect your community: https://t.co/CsiJNdxIvp #ForOurFamilies pic.twitter.com/nKv9Jfwa1d — Tower Hamlets Council (@TowerHamletsNow) June 30, 2021

Mrs Nurun Nessa has been diagnosed with middle stage dementia during the pandemic. She is currently receiving informal support from her husband, adult daughters and a close friend. Her doctor said that her health is going to get worse as time goes on. She has accepted that her situation is going to get worse. She is waiting for a care package from Tower Hamlets Council. This film is brought to you by BritBanglaCovid. Filmmaker: Ripon Ray

Obie Matin was shunned for marrying a white man. Yet, she cared for her parents to their last moment.  BENGALI CULTURE & A NAME Obie Matin’s full name is a little bit complicated she says. In Bengali culture, people would know her by her nickname: Obie. But her  formal name  is actually Lubjana Matin. Nobody  calls her Lubjana except during graduation or in any formal occasions.  Everyone calls her by her nickname. There is complete separation between formal and informal life in Bengali culture. UPBRINGING AND RENT FREE ACCOMMODATION Obie was born was born in Britain.  When she was born there was seven years gap between Obie and her older sibling.  ‘I feel privileged of how I grew up, even though we never owned it. It was a massive house with a basement, a Victorian attic, beautiful house. And the terms and conditions were that my dad would have that home rent free, which is one part of the house for lodgings if he oversaw the rest of the property. So dad was fixing it up looking o

Julie Begum talks about her East End upbringing, passion for education  and campaign to vaccinate everyone. EAST END UPBRINGING She was born in the Mile End Hospital in 1968 when her parents were living in a temporary accommodation in Tower Hamlets. Her brother was born 18 months after. They were given a council flat in Globe Town, Bethnal Green, London. She remembers that:   ‘We live in a block of flats, with a lot of other working class people…   I think there was only one other Bengali family on the estate at the time. And a black family and majority was white. And there was one mixed race family…To be honest, the only safe place was at home. We heard about people being attacked in their homes by racists. So it was, I would say a climate of fear really for a lot of Bengalis at that time. My father was bottled and attacked.’ There was a difference in response between younger and older generation within the Bengali Community from Julie's account. ‘Young men…decided to fight back a