BPKP celebrate Bangladesh’s Victory Day at the historic Guildhall in the City of London

The Bangladesh Probashi Kallyan Parishad (BPKP) celebrated Bangladesh’s Victory Day at the historic Guildhall in the City of London, marking the pivotal day of 16 December 1971 when Bangladesh secured its independence. Hosted by Cllr Munsur Ali, Chair of the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee, the event brought together nearly fifty members and management committee representatives of BPKP for an evening of remembrance and celebration.

The event began with a Quran recitation by Dr. Mashuk Ahmed, followed by a minute of silence in honour of the 3 million lives lost during the liberation struggle. Attendees were captivated by Cllr Munsur Ali’s reflections on his work in Bangladesh, his film Shongram about the independence war, and his role in promoting the City of London as the UK’s cultural capital, with significant investments in arts and heritage.

Murad Qureshi, former councillor for the Westminster City Council and GLA Member, shared personal stories of his family’s involvement in the 1971 independence movement. From BPKP, General Secretary Syed Ahbab Hussain and Vice Chair Mayen Uddin Ansar led discussions, with contributions from advisors SanaUllah Sami and Abdul Aziz. Other notable speakers included Ahab Hossain, former Tower Hamlets Speaker, as well as Ashikur Rahman, Md Parvez Qureshi BEM, Ayesha Chowdhury, Cllr Foyzur Rahman, Mustak Ali Babul, Kays Chowdhury, Mohammed Lais, Mohammed Afsor Miah, and Abdul Halim Choudhury.

Cllr Munsur Ali concluded the evening by emphasising the importance of fostering stronger ties with BPKP and honoring non-Bangladeshis who supported the independence movement through advocacy and financial assistance.

BPKP remains committed to advocating for non-resident Bangladeshis, collaborating with the Bangladesh High Commission and MPs on key issues such as airport harassment, National ID Cards, and property rights through their “Save Our Property” campaign. For more information or to get involved, visit www.bpkp.org or contact General Secretary Syed Ahbab Hussain at info@bpkp.org.