With respect and love Remembering journalist Syed Afsar Uddin

Bangla Mirror Desk:

Colleagues of London Bangla Press Club remembered the recently deceased journalist Syed Afsar Uddin with deep respect and love through emotional remembrance.

Tuesday, April 16, at the Enterprise Academy Auditorium in East London,  a condolence meeting was organized by the London Bangla Press Club the Speakers said, Syed Afsar Uddin was not only a keen newsreader, but he was an active ambassador for the development of the Bengali language. In personal life, he was a very modest, good-natured, friendly and humane person. His contribution to the proper practice and development of the Bengali language in the billet as a devoted television newsreader and as a teacher of Bengali language education will forever be remembered by the community with reverence.

President of London Bangla Press Club Mohammed Jubair  and Four former presidents of London Bangla Press Club, Muhib Chowdhury, Belal Ahmed, Nobab Uddin, Mohammad Emdadul Haque Chowdhury and his colleagues in Bengali media, Uday Shankar Das, Abu Musa Hasan, Kamal Ahmed, Ahmed Us Samad Chowdhury, Mostaq Ahmed Babul, Rahmat Ali, Mostafa Kamal Milon, Shamsul Alam Liton, Dr Zaki Rezwana Anwar, Mahee Ferdous Jalil, Urmi Mazhar, Sarwar-e Alam, Tauhid Shakeel, Shahidul Islam Sagar, Golam Rasul, Kamal Mehdi, Farhan Masood khan, Mohammad Keroll, Ahad Chowdhury Babu, Shamsul Talukder Tarek, Rupi Amin, Saleh Ahmed etc.

Apart from media colleagues, various professions of the community attended the mourning meeting and virtually turned it into a civic mourning meeting. BBCCI’s Shahgir Bakht Farooq, BBCA’s Shahnoor Khan, BTA’s Basit Chowdhury spoke reminiscing about their professional and personal relationship with Syed Afsar.

Many of the speakers requested the press club leaders to introduce his proposed Journalist Tasadduk Ahmed Memorial Medal as a tribute to Syed Afsar Uddin.

Press Club’s General Secretary Taisir Mahmud’s presentation was thanked by Senior Vice President of the Club, Barrister Tarek Chowdhury.

Two documentaries produced by Channel S and 52 Bangla TV on Syed Afsar Uddin’s career were screened and a condolence book was opened. Prayers were offered in the meeting for the salvation of his soul.

Syed Afsar Uddin Profile Below:

Syed Afsar Uddin MBE  is an Educationalist, Journalist, Columnist, News Presenter, Philanthropist, Writer and Community Activist. He is the top most news reading performer and the most popular with viewers both in the UK and Europe. He is a man of deep convictions, a plain – spoken fellow who did the best for his community and for his country. Focus, collaboration and respect are the other talents of this Senior News Presenter of Channel S Television. The much-loved anchor has conquered British-Bangladeshi hearts through his modern and stylish news presentation and helped make Bangla news more attractive and popular in the UK and Europe: moving from radio to TV, from BBC World Service to Voice of America, to Bangla TV and finally to Channel S. When Syed Afsar joined Bangla TV in 1999, it was a dream come true for the former BBC broadcaster and his first love, television. He worked on current affairs, sports and magazine programmes for the BBC which he graced for eight years and worked as the London Correspondent for Washington, D.C. based Voice of America Radio for four years. He presented Bangla TV’s news programme until 2005 before switching to Channel S in January 2006. Syed Afsar also made a guest appearances as a News Presenter on ATN Bangla in Dhaka in 2003. He co – hosted the Channel S Awards with former ITV News Presenter Tasnim Lucia Khan in 2010 and with LBC Radio Presenter Lisa Aziz in 2012. During his career, Syed fronted thousands of live news programmes, so he knows his pitch inside out. His presentation style is as famous as it was 33 years back and for this he’s been always thankful to the Almighty and his viewers. The senior most News Presenter in the UK, Syed began broadcasting for Bangladesh National TV in 1989 as a Cricket Commentator and Programme Presenter. He worked as a Sports Reporter for Ittefaq Group and was an active member of the Bangladesh Sports Writers Association. He’s been a senior member of the London Bangla Press Club since 2005. Syed is also a member of the Commonwealth Journalist Association, UK, an international organisation which has branches across the Commonwealth. He has also contributed to London based Weekly Potrika, Weekly Purbodesh, Weekly Surma, Weekly Jonomot and Weekly Notun Din in the past and is currently contributing for the online news portal. Syed Afsar has been a teacher in a secondary school in London for about 30 years and well known for his community services over the three decades. He received an MBE, (Member of the Order of the British Empire) on the Queen’s 2020 Birthday Honours List for services to Education and the Community in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. As well as this, Syed achieved accolades and awards many times in his career including the European Bangladesh Forum Award (2022), British Bangladeshi Who’s Who Award 2022, The SunriseToday.Com Award (2019), 52 Bangla TV Award(2019), Eastwood Award(2017), Joint Council for Qualifications Award (2017), LEO Parents Achievement Award(2015), Lehman Brothers Awards (2003 and 2006). Syed has been a GCSE Examiner for AQA for more than two decades. In 2015 Ofqual and AQA has decided to discontinue A level Bengali on the school’s curriculum. On behalf of Bangla Survival Forum UK, Syed has successfully run a campaign all over the UK and abroad to revert their decision. Now Bengali language is on offer to A level students in the UK. Most recently, Syed has been awarded with the “Freedom of City of London Honour” for his outstanding contribution to British – Bangladeshi Broadcasting Media. It is noted that he is the first Bengali-speaking TV News Presenter, in the UK and abroad, who has received this international and highest honour in London. Syed has been involved in a broad range of cultural activities both in the UK and Bangladesh. He is a respected Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland and London Challenge for World Class Education. He has been working for the various national and international charity organisation for the last 30 years. Syed achieved a Batchelor of Commerce Degree (Hons) and Master Degree from the University of Dhaka. He has obtained Post Graduate Certificate in Education and other Professional Qualifications from the University of London and Department of Education and Children’s Services, Government of South Australia. It’s very rare you work with people like Syed, who is so sincere, so diligent and so professional. He navigates day-to-day issues rather brilliantly and is always respectful of the public and their demands on his time. This makes his teaching, community services, charity work and news presenting so vibrant. Despite his battle with cancer he continues to show resilience, stamina and dedication to his work. Syed Afsar is married with two sons and a daughter. His wife also works as a full time school teacher in an inner city school in London.