Suvarna Garge (Editor)

List of British Bangladeshis

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List of British Bangladeshis

This is a list of notable British Bangladeshi people (Bengali: উল্লেখযোগ্য ব্রিটিশ বাংলাদেশী ব্যক্তিদের তালিকা). This includes Bangladeshi immigrants settled or residing in the United Kingdom and British-born citizens of Bangladeshi ethnic or national origin.

Contents

Successful members from the community are recognised in the annual BritBangla, British Bangladeshi Who's Who and British Bangladeshi Power & Inspiration 100 for their significant work, contribution and achievements in British society.

Business and finance

  • Abdul Latif – restaurateur known for his dish "Curry Hell"
  • Aktar Islam – chef and restaurateur; in 2010, his restaurant Lasan won the Best Local Restaurant category on Channel 4's The F Word
  • Aref Karim – accountant and hedge fund manager; in 1995, he founded Quality Capital Management (QCM), which has assets in the region of £150 million according to the Sunday Times Rich List
  • Atique Choudhury – businessman whose restaurant Yum Yum is Europe's largest Thai restaurant
  • Bajloor Rashid MBE – businessman and former president of the Bangladesh Caterers Association
  • Enam Ali MBE – restaurateur and businessman; in 2005, he founded The British Curry Awards; founder, publisher and editor of Spice Business Magazine
  • Foysol Choudhury MBE – businessman, community activist and Chairman of Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council
  • Iqbal Ahmed OBE – entrepreneur, and Chairman and Chief Executive of Seamark Group; in 2006, he became the highest British Bangladeshi to feature on the Sunday Times Rich List (listed at number 511); has a net worth of $250 million
  • Iqbal Wahhab OBE – entrepreneur, restaurateur, journalist and publisher; founded Tandoori Magazine and multi-award winning restaurant Cinnamon Club
  • Jobeda Ali – social entrepreneur, documentary filmmaker and Chief Executive of Three Sisters Care; In 2010, she won the Social Business Leader award at Ogunte Women's Social Leadership Awards
  • Mahee Ferdous Jalil – businessman, founder of Channel S, owner of Prestige Auto Group and television presenter
  • Mamun Chowdhury – businessman, and founder and co-director of London Tradition; in 2014, the company was awarded a Queen's Award for Enterprise for International Trade in recognition of its increase in sales
  • Moorad Choudhry – Managing Director, Head of Business Treasury and Global Banking & Markets at Royal Bank of Scotland plc
  • Muquim Ahmed – entrepreneur who became the first Bangladeshi millionaire at the age of 26 due to diversification in banking, travel, a chain of restaurants with the Cafe Naz group, publishing and property development
  • Nargis Ara – pharmaceutical researcher best known for being a candidate on series two of BBC reality television programme The Apprentice in 2006
  • Nohshad Shah – financial analyst who works for Goldman Sachs as Managing Director of its Securities Divisiom
  • Noorul Choudhury – mathematics teacher at Reddish Vale Technology College, online recruitment consultant, property business owner and fabric technologist; best known for being a candidate on series five of BBC reality television programme The Apprentice in 2009
  • Nurun Ahmed – businesswoman, marketing officer for Peterborough City Council and fashion retailer; best known for being a candidate on series ten of BBC reality television programme The Apprentice in 2014
  • Ragib Ali – industrialist, pioneer tea-planter, educationalist, philanthropist and banker; has a net worth of $250 million
  • Sabirul Islam – author, entrepreneur and motivational speaker; has written three self-help books and developed a board game; since 2011, he has spoken at over 700 events worldwide as part of his Inspire1Million campaign
  • Shelim Hussain MBE – entrepreneur, and founder, Chairman and Managing Director of Euro Foods (UK)
  • Siraj Ali – restaurateur and philanthropist; in 2011, he was awarded the British Bangladeshi Who's Who "Outstanding Contribution Award" for his long standing contribution to the hospitality and catering industry
  • Sultan Choudhury – banker, chartered accountant and Chief Executive Officer of Al Rayan Bank (formerly Islamic Bank of Britain)
  • Syed Ahmed – entrepreneur, businessman and television personality; best known for being a candidate on series two of BBC reality television programme The Apprentice in 2006
  • Toffael Rashid – global marketing professional who currently works for Leo Burnett Worldwide as Regional Planning Director for Samsung business across Asia Pacific; previously worked in various roles for Unilever
  • Mohammad Ajman "Tommy" Miah – celebrity chef and restaurateur; in 1991, he founded the Indian Chef of the Year Competition
  • Wali Tasar Uddin MBE – entrepreneur, restaurateur, community leader and Chairman of the Bangladesh-British Chamber of Commerce
  • Waliur Rahman Bhuiyan OBE – Managing Director and Country Head of BOC Bangladesh Limited

    • Broadcast media

  • Ajmal Masroor – television presenter, politician and imam; the Liberal Democrats Parliamentary candidate for Bethnal Green and Bow constituency in the 2010 general election; television presenter on political and Islamic programmes on Islam Channel and Channel S
  • Ali Shahalom – comedian who hosts his own YouTube channel, Aliofficial1, with comedy sketches; since 2014, he has hosted The Variety Show on Channel S
  • Anwarul Hoque – radio presenter best known for presenting the Weekend Bengali Show on BBC Asian Network; the longest serving presenter for BBC Asian Network before leaving in 2012; received an award in 2008 for his excellent contribution to the media by the Birmingham Bangladeshi League
  • Fazle Lohani – journalist, writer, television presenter and filmmaker; best known as the presenter of variety television programme Jodi Kichhu Mone Na Koren
  • Hasina Momtaz – news presenter for Channel i Europe and previously for NTV Europe, and former press officer for the Mayor of London between 2003 and 2011
  • Kanak "Konnie" Huq – television presenter best known for being the longest-serving female Blue Peter presenter
  • Lisa Aziz – news presenter and journalist, best known as the co-presenter of the Bristol-based ITV West Country nightly weekday news programme The West Tonight, and as one of the first Asian presenters to be seen on television; in 2004, she won the Ethnic Multicultural Media Academy's Best Television News Journalist Award
  • Nadia Ali – television and radio presenter; since 2012, she has presented the live Bengali show on Sunday nights for BBC Asian Network
  • Nadiya Hussain – mother of three, best known for winning series six of BBC baking competition programme The Great British Bake Off in 2015
  • Nina Hossain – journalist, newscaster and sole presenter of ITV London's regional news programme ITV News London
  • Nurul Islam – broadcast journalist, radio producer and presenter; best remembered for his work with the BBC World Service
  • Reshmin Chowdhury – sports journalist and broadcaster; since 2010, she has broadcast as a sports presenter for the BBC News Channel and BBC World News
  • Rizwan Hussain – television presenter, philanthropist, international humanitarian aid worker, barrister, and former Hindi music singer and producer; presents Islamic and charity programmes on Channel S and Islam Channel
  • Ruje Yasmin – production journalist, television producer, news reporter and deputy news editor for ITV Meridian
  • Saima Chowdhury – photographer and video blogger, best known for uploading fashion tutorials on YouTube
  • Shahena Ali – celebrity chef, television presenter, nutritionist and businesswoman; best known for appearing on times on BBC Great Food Live
  • Shawkat Hashmi – radio presenter and producer who works for the BBC as ethnic affairs producer and presenter for BBC North, BBC Radio Sheffield and BBC Asian Network
  • Syed Neaz Ahmad – academic, writer, journalist, columnist and critic; best known for anchoring NTV Europe current affairs talk show Talking Point
  • Hamim "Sugapuff" Choudhury – television presenter who has had his own show called PopDash and EntertainmentWise since 2012; presented Sugapuff Meets on BuzMuzik
  • Tasmin Lucia-Khan – journalist, presenter and producer; best known for delivering BBC Three's nightly hourly "World News" bulletins on 60 Seconds and presenting E24 on the rolling news channel BBC News; currently delivers news bulletins and breaking stories on ITV breakfast television programme Daybreak
  • Yasmin Khatun – journalist, television producer and broadcaster; reports and produces for the Islam Channel, writes for SISTERS Magazine and The Huffington Post

    • Journalism

  • Abdul Gaffar Choudhury – writer, journalist and columnist for Bengali newspapers in Bangladesh; best known for his lyrics on "Amar Bhaier Rokte Rangano" in 1952, the most widely celebrated song commemorating the Bengali Language Movement
  • Abul Taher – journalist; news reporter for The Mail on Sunday; previously a staff reporter for The Sunday Times; in 2013, he was awarded Journalist of the Year at the Political & Public Life Awards
  • Emdad Rahman MBE – freelance journalist, football poet and blogger; commentator for The Guardian online opinion site and edits the blog All in a Day's Work He has written three football poetry books.
  • Fareena Alam – former editor of British Muslim magazine Q News; named Media Professional of the Year by Islamic Relief in 2005 and at the Asian Women of Achievement Awards in 2006
  • Murad Ahmed – journalist; European technology correspondent for the Financial Times; writes about innovations with the internet, social media and consumer electronics
  • Rejina Sabur-Cross – food writer; started the food blog Gastrogeek, and wrote the 2013 cookbook of the same name
  • Sarwar Ahmed – publisher best known for founding Eastern Eye in 1989; He is the publisher of Asiana and Asiana Wedding. in 2013, he was awarded the Services to Media award at the British Muslim Awards
  • A. N. M. Serajur Rahman – journalist and broadcaster; worked for BBC World Service (1960-1994); was the deputy chief of BBC Bangla Service before retirement
  • Shamim Chowdhury – television and print journalist for Al Jazeera English
  • Shelina Begum – journalist and editor of Asian News; in 2006, she was named North West Journalist of the Year at the British Nuclear Fuels-sponsored press awards
  • Syed Nahas Pasha – journalist and editor-in-chief of Janomot and Curry Life

    • Members of Parliament

  • Dr Rupa Huq MP – Labour Party Member of Parliament for Ealing Central and Acton constituency, writer, columnist, senior lecturer in Sociology at Kingston University and former Deputy Mayor of the London Borough of Ealing.
  • Rushanara Ali MP – Labour Party Member of Parliament for Bethnal Green and Bow constituency. She became the first person of Bangladeshi origin to be elected to the House of Commons and one of the first three Muslim women to be elected as a Member of Parliament.
  • Tulip Siddiq MP – Labour Party Member of Parliament for Hampstead and Kilburn, former councillor for Regent's Park ward and Cabinet Member for Culture and Communities in Camden London Borough Council. In 2010, she became the first Bengali female councillor in Camden Council.

    • Life peers

  • Baroness "Pola" Manzila Uddin – Labour Party life peer, community activist, and the first Muslim and second Asian woman to sit in the House of Lords.

    • Mayors

  • Cllr Jilani Chowdhury – Labour Party politician, councillor for Barnsbury ward and former Mayor of Islington. In 2012, he became Islington's first Bangladeshi Mayor.
  • Cllr Lutfur Rahman – Community activist and Independent politician. From 2010 to 2015, he was the first directly elected mayor of Tower Hamlets and the first Bangladeshi leader of the council.
  • Cllr Muhammad Abdullah Salique – Labour Party member, councillor for Bethnal Green North ward and Mayor of London Borough of Tower Hamlets for 2008/2009 municipal year.
  • Cllr Nasim Ali OBE – Labour Party politician, councillor in Regent's Park ward, Cabinet Member for Young People in Camden Council and former Mayor of Camden. In 2003, at the age of 34, he became UK's youngest mayor as well as the first Bangladeshi and first Muslim mayor.

    • Other

    Cllr Moin A Quadri- A Labour Party politician and Councillor for London Borough Of Barking & Dagenham.[1]

  • Cllr Abjol Miah – Politician, Chairman of the Respect Party and former councillor for Shadwell ward. In 2010, he stood as the Respect parliamentary candidate in Bethnal Green and Bow constituency at the 2010 general election.
  • Cllr/Dr Anwara Ali – Conservative Party politician, former councillor for Bow West ward, Cabinet Member for Health and Well-being in London Borough of Tower Hamlets and general practitioner in Spitalfields Practice.
  • Murad Qureshi – Labour Party politician and Greater London Assembly Member.
  • Cllr Rabina Khan – Independent politician, councillor for Shadwell ward, former Cabinet Member for Housing in Tower Hamlets London Borough Council, community worker and author of Ayesha's Rainbow.
  • Cllr Rania Khan – Independent politician, former councillor for Bromley-by-Bow and Cabinet Member for Culture and Regeneration in Tower Hamlets London Borough Council. In 2006, at the age of 23, she was first elected as a councillor making her one of the youngest female councillors in the UK.
  • Cllr Shiria Khatun – Labour Party politician, councillor for East India and Lansbury ward, Cabinet Member for Children's Services and was one of the short listed mayoral Labour Party candidate in London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
  • Cllr Syeda Khatun MBE – Labour Party politician, councillor for Tipton Green in the Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council and Cabinet Advisor for Education. In 1999, she was the first Bangladeshi woman to be elected in the Midlands.

    • Policy

  • Abul Fateh – Diplomat and statesman. He was the first Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh after independence in 1971.
  • Anwar Choudhury – The British High Commissioner for Bangladesh between 2004 and 2008. He was the first non-white British person to be appointed in a senior diplomatic post. He is currently the Director of International Institutions at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office.
  • Asif Ahmad – British Diplomat who served as the British Ambassador to Thailand from November 2010 until August 2012. Since July 2013, he has been British Ambassador to the Philippines.
  • Dia Chakravarty – Political activist, Political Director of the TaxPayers' Alliance and singer.
  • Dr Halima Begum – Civil servant, international development manager and Director Education of East Asia at the British Council. She was previously first secretary for development at the Department for International Development (DIFD).
  • Mockbul Ali OBE – Diplomat and former Islamic Issues Adviser to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
  • Nahid Majid OBE – Civil servant, Chief Operating Officer of Regeneration Investment Organisation and Deputy Director within the Department for Work and Pensions. She is currently the most senior British Bangladeshi Muslim woman in the civil service.
  • Rohema Miah – Independent policy adviser and former political advisor for the Labour Party between 1992 and 2005.
  • Saleemul Huq – Scientist and Senior Fellow in the Climate Change Group at the International Institute for Environment and Development. In 2007, he was awarded the Burtoni Award for his work on climate change adaptation.
  • M. Sayeedur Rahman Khan – Academic and diplomat. He was a former vice-chancellor of the University of Rajshahi and former High Commissioner of Bangladesh in the UK.
  • Talyn Rahman-Figueroa – Diplomatic consultant, and Director and founder of Grassroot Diplomat.
  • Taryn Khanam – Civil servant, Director and co-founder of BritBangla, and a policy advisor for the Department of Health (DH).

    • Music

  • Alaur Rahman – Folk singer who has released 40 albums.
  • Bilal Shahid – R&B singer and rapper, whose EP About Us: The Ultimate Love Story was released in 2011.
  • Boyan Chowdhury – Former lead guitarist of rock band The Zutons.
  • Char Avell – R&B singer-songwriter signed to Tiffin Beats Records. In November 2012, his first single "Say You Love Me" was released.
  • Deeder Zaman – Rapper and former lead vocalist of electronica band Asian Dub Foundation when he was then known as Master D. He has recorded two solo albums: 2008's Minority Large and 2011's Pride of the Underdog.
  • Farook Shamsher – Alternative dub dance music DJ, record producer and member of Joi. They have recorded three albums: 1999's One and One Is One, 2000's We Are Three, and 2007's Without Zero. In 2006, he received the Commitment to Scene award at the UK Asian Music Awards.
  • Gouri Choudhury – Hindi and Bengali music singer and music teacher. She featured on the track "Radhe Radhe" with Crispian Mills on the Kula Shaker's 1999 album Peasants, Pigs & Astronauts.
  • Haroon Shamsher – Alternative dub dance music DJ, record producer who was member of Joi.
  • Idris Rahman – Clarinettist, saxophonist and music producer. He has produced and mixed albums, including two Mercury Prize-nominated albums (Zoe Rahman's second album Melting Pot and Basquiat Strings' debut album Basquiat Strings with Seb Rochford) and two albums by vocalist Julia Biel.
  • Jernade Miah – R&B singer-songwriter signed to 2Point9 Records. In 2011, he was awarded Best Newcomer at the UK Asian Music Awards. He has recorded two albums: 2010's Double Check and 2013's 1991.
  • Kamal Uddin – Nasheed singer-songwriter, Imam and teacher. He has recorded two albums: 2005's In the Name of Allah and 2008's Illallah.
  • Kishon Khan – Jazz composer, pianist arranger and music producer. In 2009, his score for The Last Thakur won a Grand Jury award for Best Music at the South Asian International Film Festival in New York.
  • Labbayk – Nasheed group consisting of singers Masum Hamid, Ehsaan Tahmid and Imran. They have released four albums: 2008's Rhymes of Praise, the 2010 charity album O' My Lord (credited under 'Ehsaan and Friends') 2012's The Greatest Gift. and 2016's Gratitude.
  • Lucy Rahman – Singer who has been one of the lead singers of the jazz music group Grand Union Orchestra since 1998.
  • Lyan Roze - Music producer who has worked with the likes of Mumzy Stranger, Raxstar, Bambi Bains (Team PBN) and more.
  • Muazzin Aziz / Naga MC – Rapper and actor who has worked on spoken word and musical projects, including touring internationally with Asian Dub Foundation.
  • Muhammad Mumith Ahmed / Mumzy Stranger – R&B and hip hop singer-songwriter. In 2009, he became the first musician of Bangladeshi descent to release a mainstream music single with "One More Dance". In 2011, he was awarded Best Urban Act at the UK Asian Music Awards.
  • Mushtaq Omar Uddin – Singer, songwriter, music producer, and former lead vocalist of music group Fun-Da-Mental. In 2003, his album The Hour of Two Lights, co-recorded with Terry Hall, was released.
  • Nazeel Azami – Nasheed singer-songwriter whose debut album Dunya was released in 2006.
  • Rubayyat Jahan – Singer who reached the final round of Brit Asia TV's Asian Superstars in 2010. In 2013, she was nominated for Best Female Act at the Brit Asia TV Music Awards.
  • Rowshanara Moni – Bengali music singer and actress. In 2004, her debut album Nijhum Raat was released.
  • Schelim Hannan – Singer who was a member of boy band Worlds Apart from 1992 to 1997.
  • Shireen Jawad – Bengali folk singer. She has recorded three albums: 2007's Panjabiwala, 2009's Mathwali and 2014's Rangeela.
  • Saifullah "Sam" Zaman / State of Bengal – DJ and producer who was associated with the Asian Underground movement. He has recorded two solo album: 1999's Visual Audio and 2007's Skip-IJ.
  • Salique – R&B singer-songwriter whose debut single "Let Me In" was released in October 2013 and reached number one on the world iTunes music chart.
  • Shahin Badar – Dance music singer-songwriter best known for vocals on The Prodigy's single "Smack My Bitch Up", which earned her a Double Platinum award.
  • Shakila Karim – Singer-songwriter whose singles "Just Let It Go" and "Heroes" were released in July and December 2011.
  • Shama Rahman – Singer-songwriter, sitarist and actress. In 2013, her debut solo album Fable:Time was released.
  • Shapla Salique – Bengali folk singer-songwriter and harmonium player. She has released two solo albums; Siyono na Siyona in 1997, and Lai Lai in 2002.
  • Sohini Alam – Folk singer for bands Lokkhi Terra and Khiyo.
  • Suzana Ansar – Hindi and Bengali folk singer, actress and television presenter based in the UK and Bangladesh. In 2009, her debut band album Suzana Ansar with Khansar was released. In 2013, her second album Mehvashaa, co-recorded with Raja Kaasheff, was released.
  • Zoe Rahman – Jazz composer and pianist. In 1999, she was awarded the Perrier Young Jazz Musician of the Year Award. In 2006, her album Melting Pot was nominated for Album of the Year at the Mercury Music Prize.

    • Film and drama

  • Afshan Azad – Actress best known for playing the role of Padma Patil in the Harry Potter film series.
  • Aminul Islam Bappi – Film director whose first film was based on the novel First Ark to Alpha Centauri and second film 3 Illegal is about the lives of three Bangladeshi men who have illegally settled in the UK.
  • Dilruba Yasmeen Ruhee – Model and actress best known for her lead role in the 2014 film Shongram.
  • Dino Shafeek – Actor and comedian. He starred in several sitcoms during the 1970s and early 1980s. He is best remembered for his comedy roles of Char Wallah Muhammed in It Ain't Half Hot Mum and Ali Nadim in Mind Your Language.
  • Farzana Dua Elahe – Actress and music DJ. She is best known for her role of Parveen Abbasi in BBC soap opera EastEnders in 2009.
  • Hannan Majid – Documentary filmmaker whose films produced by his production company Rainbow Collective have been exhibited at several international film festivals, including Abu Dhabi, Cambridge, Durban, East End, Leeds International and AlJazeera International Documentary.
  • Iftekhar Ahmed – Actor who has played roles in 2007 film Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal and 2010 film Hum Tum Aur Ghost.
  • Ikramul Hoque - Actor and comedian, best known for being a member of the Puremovements collective and for starring in web series such as Corner Shop Show and The Fourth Way.
  • Islah Abdur-Rahman – Actor and director, best known for starring and directing the web series Corner Shop Show.
  • Jan Uddin – Actor best known for his roles as Jalil Iqbal in BBC soap opera EastEnders in 2008 and Sweet Boy in the film Shank.
  • Jayasree Kabir – Actress best known for starring in Bangladeshi films Shimana Periye and Rupali Shoikotey.
  • Leesa Gazi – Writer, playwright, theatre director and actress. She is best known for her play Birangona: Women of War.
  • Menhaj Huda – Film and television director, producer and screenwriter, best known for directing and producing Kidulthood in 2006.
  • Mukul Ahmed – Theatre director and producer who has directed a series of classics, new writing and play readings. He has directed People's Romeo (based on Romeo and Juliet), Julius Caesar and Tahmima Anam's A Golden Age.
  • Munsur Ali – Film producer, screenwriter and director. He wrote, directed and produced Shongram, a romantic drama set during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. This was the first time a British film was simultaneously written, produced and directed by a British Bangladeshi.
  • Nazrin Choudhury – Screenwriter and actress on drama serials. In 2006, her critically acclaimed radio play Mixed Blood won the Richard Imison Award.
  • Rez Kabir – Stage and film actor.
  • Ruhul Amin – Film director who has made 15 films for the BBC and Channel 4, including 1986 television feature film drama A Kind of English. Most of his films are documentaries and experimental dramas.
  • Sadik Ahmed – Film director, cinematographer and writer. He wrote and directed short film Tanju Miah, which was the first Bangladeshi film to be officially selected in the Toronto, Sundance and Amsterdam film festivals in 2007. He directed feature film The Last Thakur in 2007, which opened screenings at the London, Dubai, Mumbai, New York and other film festivals.
  • Saikat Ahamed – Actor and writer based in Bristol best known for his roles in Monday Monday and Trollied, and his one-man shows The Tiger and the Moustache and Strictly Balti.
  • Shefali Chowdhury – Actress best known for playing the role of Parvati Patil in the Harry Potter film series.
  • Sophiya Haque – Actress, singer and video jockey. She is best remembered for her role of Poppy Morales in ITV soap opera Coronation Street.
  • Tanika Gupta MBE – Theatre playwright and television script-writer. In 1998, her BBC2 screenplay Flight won an Ethnic Multicultural Media Academy Award. In 2013, she was awarded the Arts and Culture Award at the Asian Women Achievement Awards. In 2000, her play The Waiting Room, staged by the Royal National Theatre, won the John Whiting Award.
  • Tariq Chow – Documentary filmmaker and cinematographer. In 2010, his first short film Faith in London was runner up of the Tony Blair Faith Foundation's Faith Shorts.

    • Arts and culture

  • Akram Khan MBE – Dancer and choreographer with a background in classical kathak training and contemporary dance. He has received numerous awards, including Outstanding Newcomer 2000, Best Modern Choreography 2002 and Outstanding Male or Female Artist (Modern) 2005 at the Critics' Circle National Dance Awards. In 2012, Khan and his dance company performed at the London Olympics opening ceremony.
  • Amina Khayyam – Dancer, choreographer and dance teacher. She is best known for her adaptation of Federico García Lorca's play Yerma and her own play A Thousand Faces.
  • China Chowdhury – Choreographer, dance teacher, and the founder and Director of Taal Torongo. In 2011, she received the Contribution to Culture Award at the Channel S Awards.
  • Eenasul Fateh / Aladin – Cultural practitioner, magician and live artist. He was awarded International Magician of the Year in 1991 and the 1997 Golden Turban Award from the Magic Academy of Bangalore in India.
  • Enamul Hoque – Photographer, filmmaker and artist. He has worked on various campaigns for brands and is partner in Underbelly Film and has been making and producing films since 2003.
  • Hamja Ahsan – Artist and independent curator of Bengali-Islamic diaspora.
  • Kaniz Ali – Makeup artist and freelance beauty columnist. In 2011, she was awarded the Best Make-Up Artist category at International Asian Fashion Awards.
  • Mizanur "Mizan the Poet" Rahman – Spoken word poet, activist, community worker whose work contains social, religious and political commentary.
  • Mohammed Ali – Street artist well known for combining street art with Islamic script and patterns as Aerosol Arabic. In January 2009, he was awarded Arts Council England's Diversity Award.
  • Momtaz Begum-Hossain – Journalist and craft expert. She has a blog called Cos I Like Making Stuff and has written two craft books. She has been named one of the Top 100 influential crafters in the UK.
  • Naz Choudhury – Dance choreographer, show producer and artistic director. He appeared on Dragons' Den in 2010, and reached the semi-final Got to Dance with his dance troupe Bolly-Flex in 2011. He has bought some of the most famous Bollywood names to perform in the UK. He has played at the O2 Arena, performed at the Royal Opera House and opened the 2014 Commonwealth Games Handover Ceremony in Glasgow.
  • Rezia Wahid MBE – Textile artist whose work has been exhibited both in the UK and abroad.
  • Ruby Hammer MBE – Fashion and beauty makeup artist, and founder of Ruby & Millie cosmetics brand.
  • Ruh al-Alam – Islamic artist and founder of Islamic calligraphic artwork project Visual Dhikr.
  • Runa Islam – Film and photography visual artist, who was nominated for the 2008 Turner Prize.
  • Rukia Begum – Textile and fashion designer.
  • Saiman Miah – Architecture student who designed one of the two £5 coins for the London 2012 Summer Olympics Games.
  • Sanchita Islam – Artist, writer and filmmaker. In 1999, she founded Pigment Explosion, which has branched out into projects, including film, painting, drawing, writing and photography.
  • Shahidul Alam – Photographer, social activist and founder of Drik Picture Library.
  • Sonia Yasmin Ali – Model, presenter, singer and photographer.
  • Sunara Begum – Visual artist, filmmaker, photographer and writer, she uses installation, film, photography and text. In 2006, she co-produced the short film The Idea and founded Chand Aftara Visual Arts, an interdisciplinary arts organisation based in London.

    • Academia

  • Prof Andy Miah – Bioethicist, Professor in Ethics and Emerging Technologies and Director of the Creative Futures Research Centre at the University of the West of Scotland. His work often focuses on technology and posthumanism.
  • Delwar Hussain – Writer, anthropologist and correspondent for The Guardian. In 2013, his first book Boundaries Undermined: The Ruins of Progress on the Bangladesh-India Border was published.
  • Dilwar Hussain – Research fellow at The Islamic Foundation in Leicester. He co-authored the 2004 book British Muslims Between Assimilation and Segregation and is on the Home Office's committee tackling radicalisation and extremism.
  • Prof Ghulam Sarwar – Director of the Muslim Educational Trust, and an internationally recognised writer on Islam in English, especially for writing and publishing the first English textbook Islam: Beliefs and Teachings.
  • Dr Miratul Muqit – Clinical neurologist and scientist at the University of Dundee's Medical Research Council Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit. His main subspecialist interests are Parkinson's disease and related movement disorders, and he has a major interest in inherited forms of Parkinson's disease.
  • Prof Mushtaq Khan – Heterodox economist and Professor of Economics at the School of Oriental and African Studies. His work focuses on the economics of poor countries, including contributions to the field of institutional economics and South Asian development.
  • Prof Naila Kabeer – Social economist, research fellow and writer. She works primarily on poverty, gender and social policy issues. Her research interests include gender, poverty, social exclusion, labour markets and livelihoods, social protection, focussed on South and South East Asia.
  • Prof Nazneen Rahman – Geneticist who specialises in cancer and heads up the Cancer Genetics Clinical Unit at the Royal Marsden. Her research has seen success in identifying genes that cause cancer particularly in women and children.
  • Prof Tipu Aziz – Professor of neurosurgery at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, and lecturer at Magdalen College in Oxford and Imperial College London medical school. He specialises in the study and treatment of Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, dystonia, spasmodic torticollis, fixed abnormal posture of the neck, tremor and intractable neuropathic pain.
  • Tufyal Choudhury – Lecturer in international human rights law at Durham University. His research interests focus on equality law and in particular on racial and religious discrimination. He is joint author of Democracy under Blair: A Democratic Audit of the United Kingdom.
  • Jelina Berlow-Rahman – Solicitor whose practice J R Rahman Solicitors specialises in human rights, asylum, family and immigration legal advice and assistance.
  • Khatun Sapnara – Judge. In 2003, she became the first ethnic person to be elected to the Family Law Bar Association Committee. In 2004, she was appointed to the Family Justice Council. She assisted in formulating and drafting the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007. In 2006, she was appointed as a Recorder of the Crown, which made her the only person of Bangladeshi origin in a senior judicial position. In 2014, she was appointed as a Circuit Judge to hear cases in the Crown and Family Court.
  • Cllr Maya Ali – Solicitor and former Labour Party councillor for Westwood ward in Coventry City Council.
  • M. A. Muid Khan – Barrister who was selected as the Best Human Rights Lawyer of England and Wales for 2012 by the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX). In September 2012, he was ranked as third in the top five Chartered Legal Executive Lawyers of England and Wales by the Law Society.
  • Mahmud al-Rashid – Human rights barrister, and publisher and editor-in-chief of Emel.
  • Mumtaz Hussain – Solicitor and radio presenter. Since 2010, she has presented Health and Healing with Mumtaz on RedShift Radio.

    • Literature

  • Abdur Rouf Choudhury – Bengali diaspora writer and philosopher. He has received life membership from Bangla Academy.
  • Aminul Hoque – Lecturer and non-fiction writer. In 2015, his first book British-Islamic Identity: Third-generation Bangladeshis from East London was published. In 2005, he received a Philip Lawrence Award.
  • Mohammed Mahbub "Ed" Husain – Writer of the 2007 book The Islamist, an account of his experience with Hizb ut-Tahrir for five years.
  • Dr Ghulam Murshid – Author, scholar and journalist. He has received numerous literary awards from India and Bangladesh, including the Bangla Academy award.
  • Kia Abdullah – Novelist and journalist, who contributes on The Guardian and has written two novels: 2006's Life, Love and Assimilation and 2009's Child's Play.
  • Monica Ali – Author of the 2004 novel Brick Lane.
  • Muhammad Mojlum Khan – Non-fiction writer. He wrote the 2008 book The Muslim 100: The Lives, Thoughts and Achievements of the Most Influential Muslims in History and the 2013 book The Muslim Heritage of Bengal: The Lives, Thoughts and Achievements of Great Muslim Scholars, Writers and Reformers of Bangladesh and West Bengal.
  • Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed – Author, lecturer, political scientist specialising in interdisciplinary security studies and participant of the 9/11 Truth movement.
  • Nazia Ali – Novelist has written two novels: 2012's Healthy and Halal Choice and 2013's Into the Light from the Darkness.
  • Rekha Waheed – Writer and novelist, who has written four novels, including 2004's The A-Z Guide to Arranged Marriage, and 2010's Saris and the City and My Bollywood Wedding.
  • Roopa Farooki – Novelist.
  • Salam Jones – Writer and radio presenter whose debut novel Days of Our Wives was published in 2013.
  • Shahida Rahman – Writer best known for her 2012 novel Lascar. In 2015, she was awarded the Arts and Culture Awareness award at the British Muslim Awards.
  • Shamim Azad – Bilingual poet, storyteller and writer.
  • Tahmima Anam – Author of the 2007 novel A Golden Age which was the Best First Book winner of the Commonwealth Writers' Prize in 2008.
  • Zia Haider Rahman – Author of the 2014 novel In the Light of What We Know which was awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize.

    • Heads of organisations

  • Azad Ali – IT worker and civil servant for the HM Treasury. He is also the Islamic Forum of Europe spokesman, founding chair of the Muslim Safety Forum and vice-chair of Unite Against Fascism.
  • Chowdhury Mueen-Uddin – Trustee and former Chairman of Muslim Aid.
  • Faria Alam – Former Football Association secretary. She appeared in the fourth series of Channel Four reality television programme Celebrity Big Brother in 2006.
  • Sir Fazle Hasan Abed – Social worker, and founder and Chairman of Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC). In 1980, he received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership.
  • Irene Khan – Consulting editor of Bangladeshi newspaper The Daily Star, Chancellor of University of Salford, and former Secretary-General of Amnesty International; she is the first woman, Asian and Muslim to hold the position. In 2006, she was awarded the Sydney Peace Prize.
  • Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari MBE – Physicist, educationalist, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain from 2006 until 2010, Chairman of the East London Mosque and Secretary of Muslim Aid.

    • Human rights and humanitarianism

  • Dr Husna Ahmad OBE – Chief Executive Officer of the Faith Regen Foundation. She sits on the Advisory Board of East London Mosque and she previously sat on the Department for Work and Pensions' Ethnic Minority Advisory Group (EMAG).
  • Dr Nazia Khanum OBE – Management consultant, researcher, Director of Equality in Diversity, non-executive director for NHS Luton and chair of various voluntary community organisations. In 2008, she carried out a research study of "Forced marriage, family cohesion and community engagement: national learning through a case study of Luton" for the Home Office and Metropolitan Police Service.
  • Rahima Begum – Human rights activist, and co-founder and co-director of Restless Beings.
  • Saif Uddin Ahmad – Humanitarian and Chief Executive Officer of Al-Khair Foundation. He was formerly the chief executive officer of the UK charities Muslim Aid and Islamic Help, and he also founded the charities Faith Regen foundation, MADE in Europe and Global One 2015.
  • Cllr Sandra Kabir – Philanthropist, Executive Director of BRAC UK, Labour Party politician and councillor for Queensbury ward in Brent Borough.
  • Sarah Begum – Anthropologist, journalist and explorer whose documentary Amazon Souls premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013.
  • Yasmin Choudhury – Social entrepreneur who founded Lovedesh, which offers escorted tours and holiday packages for Third World countries, and Amcariza Foundation, a charity which works to help the impoverished of Bangladesh.

    • Religious figures

  • Sheikh Abu Sayed Ansarey – Chairman and Imam of West London Mosque and television presenter on Channel S.
  • Sheikh Abdul Qayum – Chief Imam of East London Mosque, television presenter for Peace TV Bangla and Channel S, and former lecturer at International Islamic University Malaysia.
  • Sheikh Abdur Rahman Madani – Khatib of Darul Ummah Mosque and television presenter for Channel S.
  • Sheikh Fahimul Anam – Islamic scholar, teacher and founding director of the Beacon Institute.
  • Sheikh Mahmudul Hasan – Imam of Essex Masjid and television presenter best known for presenting Islamic Q&A show Jibon Jiggasha on NTV.
  • Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam – Islamic scholar, and the founder, principal and director of Jamiah Khatamun Nabiyeen (JKN).
  • Sheikha Selina Begum Ali – Islamic scholar, teacher and founding director of the Beacon Institute.

    • Sport

  • Abdul Ali "Jacko" – Kickboxer who was two-time world lightweight kick-boxing champion. He also ran JKO Productions, which was part of the kickboxing promotion of Sky Sports and Channel 5.
  • Anwar Uddin – Professional footballer who played as a defender. After joining Dagenham and Redbridge he became first British Asian to captain a side in the top four divisions. He is the current manager of Sporting Bengal United.
  • Bulbul Hussain – Wheelchair rugby player who plays mostly in a defensive role for Kent Crusaders and the Great Britain paralympic team. In 2008 and 2012, he played for Great Britain at the Paralympic Games.
  • Hamza Choudhury Footballer of Bangladeshi and Afro-Caribbean origin.
  • Jahid Ahmed – Cricketer who played county cricket for Essex County as a right-handed lower order batsman and a right-arm medium-pace bowler.
  • Hammad Miah – Professional snooker player. In 2013, he qualified for the 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 professional Main Tour as one of four semi-finalists from the first Q School event.
  • Riaz Amin – Martial artist who practices Shotokan Karate and Filipino Martial Arts. In 2014, he became the current World Escrima-Kalis-Arnis Federation (WEKAF) World Championships world champion.
  • Ruqsana Begum – Muay Thai kickboxer. In 2010, she became the current British female atomweight (48–50 kg) Muay Thai boxing champion. In September 2012, she was nominated as captain of the British Muay Thai Team.
  • Shahed Ahmed – Professional footballer who played as a striker for Wycombe Wanderers. He currently plays for Sporting Bengal United and has now been appointed as captain.
  • Tahmina Begum – Football referee and PE assistant. In 2010, she became the first qualified female referee of Bangladeshi descent in the UK.
  • Zidan Miah - British Bangladeshi footballer currently training in USA.
  • Zubair Hoque – Racing driver who is the only British Asian in single-seat formula racing.

    • Cause célèbres

  • Altab Ali – Factory garment worker who was murdered by three teenagers in a racially motived attack on 4 May 1978.
  • Dr Humayra Abedin – National Health Service Doctor of Medicine whose parents tried to force her into marriage and held her captive until she was freed by court order in 2008.
  • Roshonara Choudhry – Student who stabbed MP Stephen Timms on 14 May 2010 during his constituency surgery in an attempt to kill him. She was found guilty of attempted murder and jailed for life with a minimum term of 15 years.
  • Rubel Ahmed – Bangladeshi immigrant to Britain who died in Morton Hall immigration detention centre on 5 September 2014 under controverted circumstances.
  • Ruhal Ahmed – Former Guantanamo Bay detainee depicted in the film The Road to Guantanamo.
  • Shabina Begum – Student involved in the leading House of Lords case UKHL 15 R (Begum) v Governors of Denbigh High School (2006) on the legal regulation of religious symbols and dress under the Human Rights Act 1998.
  • Shahara Islam – One of the victims killed during the 7 July 2005 London bombings. She was the youngest and one of the three Muslims killed during the attacks.
  • Shamima Begum and Kadiza Sultana – Two of the three British schoolgirls from Bethnal Green Academy who left home in February 2015 to join the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
  • Sharmeena Begum – British schoolgirl from Bethnal Green Academy who left home in December 2014 to join the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
  • Syed Talha Ahsan – Poet and translator who won the 2012 Platinum and Bronze Koestler Award for his poetry. On 19 July 2006, he was arrested in response to a request from the U.S under the Extradition Act 2003 and detained without trial or charge over six years before being extradited to the United States on 5 October 2012. He is among the longest British citizens detained without trial or charge in legal history.

    • References

    List of British Bangladeshis Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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