Bangladesh-origin Britons consolidate political foothold

Bangladesh-origin politicians have consolidated their foothold in British politics with the induction of Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, granddaughter of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and Dr Rupa Huq into the shadow cabinet of opposition Labour Party.

Tulip Siddiq, the daughter of Sheikh Rehana, younger daughter of Bangabandhu, and a niece of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has recently been appointed to the shadow cabinet of UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn as the Minister of Early Years Education. Rupa Huq has been inducted into the Labour Party shadow cabinet as the Home Affairs Minister.

Their appointments come after a shadow cabinet shake-up by Jeremy Corbyn following his re-election as the Labour leader.

"Through the induction of Tulip Siddiq and Rupa Huq into the shadow cabinet, the foothold of Bangladesh-origin politicians in the UK politics has been further strengthened," political analysts here said.

In the May 7, 2015 polls, Tulip Siddiq was elected an MP in British Parliament from crucial Hampstead and Kilburn constituency, the top of the most 10 contested seats in London, on Labour Party ticket. 

Born in Mitcham, London in 1982, Tulip completed two Master's degrees -- one in English literature and another in Politics, Policy and Government -- from King's College London. 

She was a former councillor in Regent's Park and Cabinet Member for Culture and Communities in Camden Council, according to Wikipedia. 

Tulip, who became the first Bengali woman councillor in Camden Council in May 2010, first contested the parliamentary polls last year.

"Delighted to join the brilliant @AngelaRayner in Shadow Education team - we will battle to hold gov to account on education and early years," Tulip tweeted after being appointed to the shadow cabinet of the Labour Party.

Rupa Huq was elected in last year's UK general elections from Ealing Central and Acton constituency. With her victory, the Labour Party regained the Ealing Central and Acton constituency.

Rupa Huq is a senior lecturer at the sociology department of the Kingston University. Her ancestral home is in northern Pabna district in Bangladesh.

"I am delighted to have been appointed to the Labour front bench as Shadow Home Affairs Minister. Lots of work to do to keep the pressure on the Tory government," she said in her Facebook post after being inducted into the shadow Labour cabinet. 

Earlier, Rushanara Ali, the first British lawmaker with roots in Bangladesh, performed the responsibility as the "shadow minister" of International Development and Education after being elected as an MP for the first time. 

The debut of Rushanara Ali, who hails from Biswanath in Sylhet, in the House of Commons was made through the previous UK polls in 2010. 

With her victory, she entered the UK Parliament as the first Bangladesh-origin MP. 

Rushanara retained her seat from East London's Bethnal Green and Bow constituency.

For the first time in the history of Britain, 11 Bangladesh-origin candidates vied for seats in the House of Commons through this election. Seven candidates have been nominated by Ed Miliband's main opposition Labour Party, while three from Liberal Democrats and one from Conservative Party. 

Of the 11, most public interest and media focus were on Tulip, Rushanara and Rupa Huq, who were described as "three daughters" of Bangladesh, in the May 7 parliamentary polls in the United Kingdom. Interestingly, the three became victorious in the topsy-turvy polls and the tightest race in Britain's recent history. 

Expressing her feelings after being elected in the UK parliament for the first time, Tulip Siddiq said it's a great honour to be a Labour Party MP from the Hampstead and Killbern constituency. 

Referring to the election of two other Bangladeshi-origin MPs -- Rushanara Ali and Rupa Huq -- Tulip said she is proud that three Bangalees have been elected in this (last) year's UK polls. 

"Now we three are in parliament ... if we can work together, many things can be done for our community and we could take lesson from Bangladesh in this regard," she said.

Source:BSS