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Ministers of Bangladeshi origin is now matter of time: Syed Ashraf

37Bangla Mirror Desk ::

UK visiting General Secretary of Awami League and Public Administration Minister of Bangladesh, Syed Ashraful Islam has said that minister of Bangladeshi origin in the UK is now matter of time.  There will be a time soon, when there will be a minister of Bangladesh origin in UK government.
Syed Ashraf told this in a felicitation meeting in Tower Hamlets which was hosted by Mayor John Biggs and Speaker Abdul Mukit Chunu MBE.
The meeting was held in Mayor’s Parlour in Mulberry Place on 28th December.
Answering to the questions from local journalists, the Public Administration Minister said that there is no comparison between Bangladeshi democracy and UK democracy. However, democracy in the UK was not achieved easily.  Seven Speakers have been killed in last 450 years.  The democracy is now established here after long struggle and many sacrifices. He also said that democracy is not revolution and needs to be taken forward step by step.
He also emphasised that the situation in Bangladesh is better than the many other countries in world.  He believes that there is no alternative of democracy and Bangladesh will reach to its ultimate destination.
Answering to another question, he said that Bangladesh Government cannot do anything on relocating the visa office from Delhi to Dhaka again.  This is a decision taken by British Government.  He also mentioned that there are millions of Bangladeshi people living in the UK, their relatives will come to visit them and hence there is no justification that they have to travel all the way to Delhi to obtain visa.  He assured the Bangladeshi community members that his government will do its best to relocate the visa office in Dhaka.
Speaker of Tower Hamlets Council Abdul Mukit Chunu MBE said that the Public Administration Minister of Bangladesh Syed Ashraful Islam lived in East London for many days.  He was involved in many community works while living here. He was involved in Labour Party politics in East London and contributed a lot in community development in Tower Hamlets.  He also mentioned that he was very pleased to arrange the felicitation of Syed Ashraf.  He deserves this honour.
On his speech, Executive Mayor John Biggs said that he was very pleased to honour a very important person of Bangladeshi Government as Tower Hamlets has a special association with Bangladesh. Furthermore, he was involved in community work in Tower Hamlets and was actively engaged in Labour Politics.  Mentioning him as his personal friend, he said that Syed Ashraf was an agent in his first election.  His wife was her daughter’s teacher who was a teacher in Bangabandhu School.
The Felicitation meeting was conducted by Cllr Khalis Uddin Ahmed.  Guests who addressed the audience included MP for Poplar and Lime House Jim Fitzpatrick MP, Deputy Mayor of Tower Hamlets Sirajul Islam, Bangladeshi High Commissioner in London M A Hannan, Cllr Ayas Miah, President of UK Awami League Sultan Mahmud Sharif, General Secretary Syed Sajidur Rahman Faruque, Cllr Peter Gold, Cllr Sabina Akhtar, Cllr Helal Uddin and others.
Wife of Syed Ashraf Shila Islam and wife of Abdul Mukit Chunu MBE Fatema Yasmin were also present in the meeting. A huge number of community activists were also present at the felicitation meeting..