The raise of Bengali nation in the mainstream of United Kingdom

By Shahadate Hossain :

United Kingdom is renowned for its multiculturalism. The early story of colonisation in British Isles was started by Celtic and Pict tribes. Then the Roman came in 250AD. After the Roman left, other tribe like Germanic tribe, jutes, angles and Saxons colonised modern day of southern England. The Vikings arrived and brought a distinctive influence to its culture. Most dramatic immigrations were caused by the Norman conquest in 1066. The first Norman king, William the Conqueror invited Jews to settle in England in order to develop its commerce ,finance and trade(source BBC).

During the last two world wars ,across the British Empire hundreds of thousands of men fought for Britain . In first world war, 138,000 men were served on the western front, who were brought from Indian sub continent. During the second world war , almost 60,000 British merchant seamen came from Indian subcontinent as well. Some of them settled in Britain and formed small communities. Bengoli seamen , known as Lascars, used to work in Scottish collieries and some were brought from northern part of Bangladesh (Sylhet) by east India company to work as cooks in 1873.

The history of modern multiculturalism has started from late 20 century. In 1945 while Britain had the largest empire in world. British people life styles and expectations have profoundly changed. That leads to gear up the British society’s consuming behaviour and life expectation more high. To meet these expectations Britain need more workers for it’s industries. So they had to bring workers from it’s former colony like India , Pakistan and East Pakistan (Bangladesh).

Bangladeshis are one of the largest migrated community in UK. According to Wikipedia, the UK Census recorded nearly half-a-million residents of Bangladeshi ethnicity live in UK.

Bangladeshis are mainly employed in the Hotel and Restaurant industries. But the new generation Bangladeshis are concerned more for professional careers. They are now becoming doctors, IT professionals and management specialists. According to the Ofsted reports form secondary schools, the overall Bangladeshi people’s achievement rate were 48% compared with 53% for all UK pupils in 2004. It was reported in 2014 , that the total graduate of Bangladeshi decedents were 60,699. The Institute of fiscal studies (IFS) report said that British Born Bengali children have 49% higher chance on the university education than white British people.

UK has also enriched by fellow Bengali’s contribution. Arif Khan funded Quality capital management (QCM)in 1995, which has assets of £150 million pounds according to the sun day time rich list. Atique Choudhury , a business man who’s restaurant yum yum is Europe’s largest Thai restaurant. Moorad Choudhry, is the Managing Director, Head of Business treasury and global banking & Markets at Royal bank of Scotland. Also need to mention some of the famous Bengoli politician name, they are Labour party MP Rushanara Ali, Labour party life peer baroness Pola uddin and Labour party MP Tulip Siddique.

The new generation of British Bengolis are working together to boost their activity and trying hard to establish themselves in the heart of Britain. They are establishing their own professional network to cooperate with each other in this notion. United Kingdom is enriched by the contribution of Bengali community. Bengali people can feel proud for their contribution and heritage.