Mr. Akikur Rahman

Mr. Akikur Rahman

Mr. Akikur Rahman

Age: 53

Interview date: 05 _ Mar _ 06

Interviewed by: Jamil Iqbal and Abdul Aziz

Mr.Rahman was a young political activist in the late 1970s.He was one of the organisers of the Black Solidarity Day in reprisal to the murder of Altab Ali - one of the biggest demonstrations in East London where 7,000 people marched from Whitechapel to 10 Downing Street. At the time of the interview Mr. Rahman was a Liberal Democrat Party’s councillor for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

Q: Involvement in the youth movement?
Cllr Akikur Rahman:When I first came in this country, I was young, obviously I was involved with all the friends I have in here. They were all Bangladeshi. Obviously I couldn’t speak English at that time and I was involved with lot of things, with youth activities at that time since 1967. Because I was young, obviously I got involved with lot of various things.
Q: Can you remember any event?
Cllr Akikur Rahman:When I first came in here in 1967, my brothers and I were sent to the Bow Boys School, and I was there and obviously to me it’s a new world to me on that time if I can really remember it. I was in a very alien world, I never had experienced before I came in there. There was lot of different culture, different way of thinking and it’s a different language and that was the biggest problem we had in that time. So when we go to the school in the morning, you know the children of this area, 99% of them were white children and they were not used to Asians. Obviously, they were not used to with the Asian culture, neither we were used to the white culture, so it is two different things altogether, you don’t know what exactly the white culture is and they don’t know the Asian culture. So when we go to the school, they said you smell curry, because we eat curry, and when they come they smell burger, they eat burger, so things were different on that time.
Q: How did you feel during the seventies and eighties, did you feel you were integrated in the society?
Cllr Akikur Rahman:In seventy, seventy-one (1971), myself was, I was trying to integrate in the society. In the same time we had other problems as well, because on that time our heart was in Bangladesh. We had newly come in this country, and we had a problem in back home, so obviously our mind were not stable on that time, so was thinking the both world; in here I used to work part time in a restaurant, in the same time in the weekend, we didn’t have much time, every time in 1970/71 we had meetings going on for Bangladesh. We had people still left in Bangladesh and lots of killing was going on and we were worried at that time. So it was very worrying period for me at that time.
Q: Did you witness or were you a victim of racist attack?
Cllr Akikur Rahman:As I said earlier on; on that time somebody; if you walk in the street, or something like this, they are not very much aware of your culture. They would say to us,“Look at this, look at this, sniffing with the fingers on their nose”.The attitude was not right. Obviously we couldn’t speak very good English on that time; obviously we just take things as abusing on that time. But later we did understand, there was lots of people, they hated us all the time, because they can see another community coming into Tower Hamlets, and they feel that they are taking their homes and things like this way, and they start hating us. You can see this from the school, when they children used to say “Paki! Paki!” that sort of word they used, obviously they learned from their parents. And things were moving, as we could see, in a hatred way on that time.Q: Did you ever get involved or witnessed fighting?
Cllr Akikur Rahman:Let’s put it in this way; since we were kids, when they say ‘Paki’ which was the bad one, we said something, so there was a fight, it started from there. Even probably in 1974 or 75 there was a student who was killed round in this area. They were Chinese, they were coming out from the takeaway, they were attacked by the local white, and I think that was a racial attack. So obviously there was a problem on that time. But as you see now in Tower Hamlets, we are (a) large community, but in that time that was a very small community. Say about few thousand people was there. Even when our elderly goes to the mosque, the English kids used to just pick their hat off, and that was what we can see that something was coming in that time, started already.

Q: Do you think Altab Ali’s Murder was a turning point?
Cllr Akikur Rahman:it is indeed, because I tell you, I personally knew AltabAli, he was working in Hanbury Street at that time. One of my relative got a factory there and he used to work there. He was, may be one or two years older than me. But we really knew each other. We didn’t have much to do, so we did go to cinema or things like this. Now a day we got video, but in those days, it was different, like we go in the weekend to the cinema. But it was sad that the person I know, I think it was Friday, and he was taking his wages home, and he was attacked and he collapsed and was killed in the bus stop. He was stabbed and he was running to the bus stop, trying get away but he couldn’t make it and he died. So on that point, and that was the time, obviously there were few issues going in Tower Hamlets as well, people do get attacked on the time. Lots of abuse was going on, we feel, if we go there was a group of white boys, they starts swearing Paki and all these type of things. It started already, it was there. And obviously we were worried, and also in the same time we had the biggest problem of housing on that time, and we and few other friend, almost half of the houses were under the GLC, Greater London Council, and we tried to put people in there by squatting it because our people had to work long time all the time, so they don’t have anywhere to live. We had to give them some accommodation. Squatting was not illegal in that time. So we were doing that thing. It came in the local newspaper, and that it started real problem in Tower Hamlets. Other community thought, we are taking their things away, and they started the conflict. And especially on that time, when Altab Ali was murdered, and we the Bengalis realised we were in serious problem.
Especially the youth of my age group, we sit together, like (Rajonuddin) Jalal, like my friend Rafiq (Ullah), and lots of us got together, and we decided we got to do something about it. Because already Altab Ali was killed, then Ishaq Ali was killed, from the takeaway. Ishaq Ali had got a restaurant on that time in Hackney or somewhere near on that time. He was attacked on that time, and he was killed. Then Michael Farriero, the young boy he was waiting for bus, he got killed, he was Black. That started already, and we thought we got to do something about it. Because this is not on; then we mobilised ourselves, and thanks God we had a lot of friends on that time, even from the other community. They all tried to help us. Especially the people from West Bengal helped us a lot. I should name, two guy, their contribution on that time, during the movement was tremendously good; Aloke Biswas and Bhajan Chatterjee; and particularly there was another Sri Lankan, Patrick Kodikara
Without all these three it was not possible, they were expert, they knew how to mobilise, they knew what to do, and they were always with us. One day I remember when I was invited by Patrick Kodikara I was working in Hackney, I think he was a councillor at that time. And he invited us to go there and see how the council works, and the meeting how they do. I went up there with some friends, so obviously they were encouraging us with meetings and we had a tea party and others. By the time we left from there, it was twelve O’clock at night. They dropped us near the top of Brick Lane. About 100 white boys attacked us, straightway, and we are to fight it out to save ourselves. On that day, the police came and just arrested me straightway. In that days police was one of the problem we had, now a day they are quite experienced, but they were not experienced during that time. So to them (Police man is not an old man, they are young boys); they just come and somebody accused us, the white guy accused me that I hit him, and broke his arm, and like these. So they arrested me and took me to the Police station. And I was there, the next day I was bailed out; and I had to go to the court, and for six months they banned me from Brick Lane; I could not go to Brick Lane, in the weekend, in the Saturday or Sunday.
Somehow the case went up to the court and the Magistrate was good, he was really good, he just looked at the police officer and looked to everybody. He said, “Well Mr. Rahman, What were you doing there?”
I said, “Look Sir, I was in Hackney, and I asked for a lift and they drop me near there, suddenly there was a group of people, they came and attacked us. So obviously we had to save our selves, then we fight back, now if I have been accused by police, police arrested me after the fight when they came. But if I am being accused that I have broken somebody’s leg, or broken somebody’s arm; I think, I don’t know what I did. But I had to save my life”.
The magistrate got angry with the police and everything; he discharged me and dismissed the case, and said to me “Mr Rahman you are free man to go home.” Since then I was really encouraged that justice in this country is not bad. And I was a free man then on.
Lots of stories are there because lots of things happened especially on that side of the borough. Because we were attacked, our elderly were attacked, the people we move out from that area to another area, we had to save them, and we can’t guard them all night. Or otherwise we had to withdraw them to a safe area, so it was identified on that time particularly; the racism is here in Tower Hamlets, its not away, it was here. But I can’t see anybody was punished by the justice in this country on that time especially in Tower Hamlets, just because he is a racist, any imprisonment or fine, nothing happened. I think it was too complicated for one to justify one to be a racist or not a racist. It was very complicated on that time, but there was a big racism going on at that time. We had to survive, and we had to fight for it.
Q: In 1978, there was a big demonstration, after Altab Ali’s murder, can tell us about this.
Cllr Akikur Rahman:That was organised by myself and all the colleagues I just mentioned. It was called ‘Black Solidarity Day’. We had one of the biggest demonstrations of this kind by the Asian community. I think about 7,000 people turned up. Restaurants, all the factories everything was closed and we said ‘No, we have to show our solidarity’, people did come from Southall, they came from Birmingham, they came from Manchester, people came from all over the county to join this. Because, we got to say ‘NO’ to the racism on that time. Racism was so strong, all over the country it was not only in Tower Hamlets, it was all over, Bradford, Southall everywhere, it was going on.
We organised that meeting. In that meeting lots of MPs were there, some of our characters, like Tariq Ali, these are the people who were nationally known. They all came, and we had a meeting, and I was conducting the meeting.
I didn’t have a clue, how I am going to do with them, because I had never organised such a thing. But on that day our elderly like, Tassuduk Ahmed, he was there, and I asked him to conduct the meeting, but he denied and told me to do the job. It was a critical situation. The people were really angry, they were fed up, people got abused in the street, and people got killed. And there was lots of police as well. There were about three thousand police around. Everywhere there were police.
We did have a carnival in the Altab Ali Park, we had music and everything as we can. The important thing is we done it. Like as I said we had people like Bhajan Chatterjee and the like.
When the National Front; they used to come in and distribute their leaflet, and police can’t do anything, they didn’t stop them. So we thought the only way we can get rid of them, we go early in the morning, and we occupy there place, so on the Sunday market, we went first there. There was a conflict between us and the National Front. Somehow we were strong so we pushed them out. The police came and said, “All right, first come first serve” and since then we always go top of Brick Lane, from Friday evening until Sunday evening we occupy the place. So all night we are there, Friday to Sunday all the night time we were there. So no way they can come occupy the place there. We had done it for about six months. So what happened, in that time there was an elderly guy, Fakruddin Ahmed, the best community leader and community worker, we had. He used to come with the flask, tea and everything, in the night time, when we are in the top of Brick Lane, like we are guarding the area. He was distributing tea and everything to us. We had lots of people with character then. He is no longer with us. I can see these people with my eyes closed, what they did for the community.
Q: What happened after the demonstration?
Cllr Akikur Rahman:on that time my idea was to let the people, who don’t know what was going on, in our society. Especially to the parliament, and internationally, we were recognised by the United Nations, I think. Because all this national newspapers, they were carrying our news; and Brick Lane has became an international focus on that time all over the world, after the demonstration. Then everybody took notice, what was going on. We are not like Southall nor like the Bradford, these are the area, not a tourist area, we are in one of the main focus, there is one. If anything goes really wrong, it will be bad name to the Britain. So obviously there was much concern, all the ministers came visiting us, they putting (up) new police station, and things like that. So everybody was running around. So Black Solidarity is one of the breakthroughs, to really hitting hard to the racist movement. We really had hit them hard. So after that everybody started taking notice, what’s going on. That was the great thing we achieved.
Q: did you get any help from outside community, as in any parties?
Cllr Akikur Rahman:Let’s put it that way. There was an Anti-Nazi League. They were quite helpful. Each political party have their own agenda. So I think even though Tower Hamlets was running by the Labour Party, and in the beginning we couldn’t get even one councillor. So obviously, forget about the Tories. Liberal existed on that time here in our area and in Tower Hamlets. So I won’t say I would get help from any political party, but this one thing I have learned in 78, if we don’t help ourselves nobody will help us. So it’s most important that the community help themselves, political parties have their own agenda, have their own way of work.
Q: what did you feel; did you feel British or a Bengali then?
Cllr Akikur Rahman:Mentally I was Bengali, completely Bengali, and my survival on that time, yes I am proud to be Bengali, and I wanted to live as a Bengali. It was a challenge. Because to force me, and taking away my identity, I won’t let them have it. Because, this is the ‘identity’ fight. It is racism completely against my identity, they wanted to take my identity away, so my fight was I was a Bengali and I wanted to stay as a Bengali.
Q: What do you feel now?
Cllr Akikur Rahman:I am a British Bengali.
Q: What do you think of Brick Lane now and the Brick Lane then?
Cllr Akikur Rahman:Brick Lane, me and other colleagues of me like Jalal, Shiraz and all, we dream about the Brick Lane, we could have another Brick Lane in Dhaka. I think Ziaur Rahman (late President of Bangladesh) promised us to put one Brick Lane in Dhaka as well, which has never happened. Also we had a song to sing, it was a copy of the national anthem of Bangladesh, “AMAR SONAR BANGLA, AMI TOMAI BALO BASHI”. We used to sing, “AMAR SONAR BRICK LANE, AMI TOMAI BALO BASHI”. In Brick Lane we had sittings or demonstration everyday. We used to sing the song, and our view was, Brick Lane should be a Banglatown, like Brick Lane in England, Brick Lane in Dhaka, in Bangladesh. And Brick Lane is still our pride, especially the Banglatown is our pride, that something none other community has done it. Especially I am very proud, that Brick Lane is there, as long Brick Lane is there Bengali will be there. We got about 30 or 40 restaurants there and we are proud of it.
Q: What do you think about the Bengali people representing the local community, which grew from 1978, and there are so many people (Bengalis) in the council? What do you think about this, about the growth, where is it leading?
Cllr Akikur Rahman:It is leading into somewhere unexpected. People will say we need one Bangladeshi MP, and I will say we need two. That’s where we are going to. We are going to get two instead of getting one. Because I think, as Bangladeshi, we are very much politically conscious. It’s not for us, because when you are in the politics, you do the thing for other people as well. You put things for other people. It’s how you manifesto the thing, politics is all about it. And I think it’s good, our community is very much aware of what’s going on there. Now we have about 30 councillors, Insha-Allah, two MPs for us will not be a huge task for us in the future. We need a right representative, because we are not only Bangladeshi, in this area there were two Jewish MPs once, but how many Jews was living in here. As long you can represent the people, as long the people can see you are capable to do that, there is a community that except that now. We are all in here, so obviously we need the best men to represent us. It’s not the colour of skin, it’s the thing that can represent them properly, and I think our future is very bright in Tower Hamlets. And obviously we will make the history.
Q: Will you go and retire in Bangladesh? What is your future plan?
Cllr Akikur Rahman:To me Bangladesh is a place far away. We can go there in 6 or 7 hours, it’s not the distance, but my family is here, my children are here, sooner or later I will be a grand dad, I don’t want to miss them, I will be with them. My end is here in Britain.