London memorial honours Hackney racism victim Ishaque Ali

 Bangla Mirror Desk:

A memorial meeting and prayer service marking the 48th anniversary of the racist murder of Ishaque Ali was held at a community centre in Tower Hamlets, East London, on 16 July.

The event, organised by the Altab Ali Foundation, paid tribute to Ali, who was killed in Hackney in 1978, and highlighted the continuing fight against racism in Britain. The meeting was chaired by the foundation’s president, Nooruddin Ahmed, and conducted by general secretary Ansar Ahmed Ullah.

Speakers reflected on Ishaque Ali’s life and legacy and expressed concern over the resurgence of far-right politics and its impact on minority communities across the UK.

Those attending and addressing the gathering included Ishaque Ali’s sons, Kabir Ahmed and Shuhel Ahmed; his brother-in-law Jahangir Khan; former councillor Jainal Chowdhury, who took part in protests following Ali’s death; Jalal Rajonuddin, a former colleague of Ali on Cavell Street; Hackney residents Bashir Uddin, Musa Jabbar and Anna Miah; former Tower Hamlets Mayor Selim Ullah; Rafique Ullah of the Altab Ali Memorial Trust; Abdul Sattar of Bangladesh Youth Front; Altab Ali Foundation organising secretary Jamal Khan; Ashraf Mahmud Neswar, Nazma Hossain, Abdul Malik Khukon, Raju Nathan, Sheikh Noor, Imdadun Khanam, council officer Kazi Ruksana Begum, and journalists Rezaul Karim Mridha and Sazzad Hussain.

The concluding prayers were led by Hafiz Md Zilu Khan.

Speakers noted that while the racist violence of the 1970s has largely subsided, it has re-emerged in recent years in new forms, fuelled by far-right politics and increasingly targeting asylum seekers, refugees and faith communities.=

The Altab Ali Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to combating racism and preserving the memory of Ishaque Ali in Hackney, where he lived. The organisation has long campaigned for community cohesion and worked to honour the victims of racist violence in Britain.