UK Bangladeshis who inspire

The eagerly awaited British Bangladeshi Power & Inspiration 2014 list was announced last night in a packed Commonwealth Room in Parliament.

UK Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 30 Jan 2014, 10:01 AM
Updated : 30 Jan 2014, 10:01 AM

The top 100 names were announced by prominent British figures.

The 2014 list showcases British Bangladeshi talent in 20 different categories including, politics, business and enterprise, innovation, media, sport, culture, celebrities, restaurateurs and emerging influence.

Prominent names in 2014 BB Power & Inspiration are, amongst others, Iqbal Ahmed OBE (Chairman of the Seamark Group), Sapnara Khatun (Barrister and Judge), Lutfur Rahman (first directly elected British Bangladeshi Executive Mayor), Asif Anwar Ahmed (Ambassador to Thailand), Prof Moorad Choudhury (Treasurer RBS) and Mihir Bose (Sports Journalist), Shadoq Education Minister Rushanara Ali, Prospective Parliamentary candidate Tulip Siddiq, Former British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Anwar Choudhury and Baroness Uddin.

The list also contained less well-known and emerging faces such as Rupa Huq (Labour Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Ealing) and Zubair Hoque Formula 4 Racing Driver.

The full 2014 list can be viewed at www.bbpower-inspiration.com

For first time, ordinary people participated in the selection process by nominating their most inspiring figures in British Bangladeshi society.

The Judges awarded the prestigious People’s Choice to five people for their extraordinary success that serve as profound inspiration:

Hammed Ahmed, Entrepreneur of Northampton, Sofina Aktar Motin Islam OBE, Headteacher of Coventry, Jelina Berlow- Rahman, Partner of JR Rahman Solicitors in Edinburgh, Kawsar Zaman, Fulbright Scholar, Shabina Begum, Barrister and London’s Acid Victim Campaigner.

BB Power also published a list of top ten Bangladeshis at the global level. Among them are Mohammed Yunus, Founder of Grameen Bank and Nobel laureate, Jawed Karim, Founder of YouTube, Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, Founder & Chairperson Brac, and Salman Khan, Khan Academy.

Abdal Ullah, Founder of BB Power & Inspiration said: “In the 2014 BB Power & Inspiration you will find 100 bright, ambitious and successful British Bangladeshi names across 20 categories demonstrating the dynamic, entrepreneurial, philanthropic, pioneering and innovative nature of our community.”

He thanked all those who took part in the People’s Choice who found “some amazing role models to showcase”.

Ayesha Qureshi MBE, Editor of BB Power & Inspiration said explained the purpose of the exercise. “We are often asked why we produce this list; the answer is simple – to inspire the next generation.”

She said during 2014 with the help of the 100 names on BB Power & Inspiration list, “a series of BB Power Inspirational Events would be held to provide role models and mentoring for young people across different sectors”.

Iqbal Wahhab OBE, BB Power & Inspiration Judging Panel said that their campaign last year led to “better representation”.

“However, there is still a job to be done to ensure representation from across the political spectrum and we will continue to work with all mainstream parties to address this issue,” he added.

Syed Nahas Pasha, another BB Power & Inspiration Judging Panel member said: "By highlighting 10 Inspirational Bangladeshi figures from around the world, we are demonstrating to the next generation that they can be proud of their Bangladeshi heritage at home and abroad, they have strong role models everywhere.”