The Bangladesh Journal - Bangladesh born politician to contest British polls with Labor ticket

With a Labour Party ticket booked for a seat in the British Parliament, a Bangladesh born female politician Raushanara, is highly hopeful about her win the coming elections in the United Kingdom, reports UNB.

Expatriate Bangladeshis in the UK are also upbeat that their long-cherished desire is going to be fulfilled at last with a Bangladeshi woman having been nominated for the first time by the Labour to contest the next British Parliament elections.

Raushanara Ali, after going through proper selection procedure, got the ruling Labour Party ticket on April 28 to contest the polls from Bethnal Green and Bow Constituency in East London where 70 percent of total population are Bangladeshis.

Galloway of the Respect Party is the incumbent MP from the constituency while Una King of Labour Party was the previous MP.

Galloway had formed the new Party resigning from the Labour Party before the last general election. The general election in Britain is scheduled for 2009.

In a special interview with UNB staff writer Mushfiqul Fazal in London, the young Bangladeshi woman with a bright career, expressed her high hope about win from this constituency. "This is the Labour Party''s seat and there are 70 percent of Bangladeshis here," she said to underpin her optimism.

Residents of this constituency had a longstanding demand for giving nomination to a Bangladeshi for this seat. "So Labour Party has given nomination to me," Raushanara said.

The aspiration of expatriate Bangladeshis has been successfully fulfilled, Raushanara observed.

Asked about her election commitment, Raushan, who is now working as an Associate Director of Young Foundation in Bethnal Green,

said she has three key objectives. These are: to generate employment opportunity as job crisis is prevailing in the area, ensure better education facilities as well as health services, and to solve housing problems in the area.

Raushanara, who left Bangladesh for London at the age of seven, said she would also try for affordable housing and support local businesspeople and carry out effort for arranging training, investment and setting up schools and hospitals.

She would also meet regularly with community members, women''s groups, housing association, business groups and faith-based organizations.

Replying to a query about Bangladesh-UK relations, an Oxford-educated Raushanara said: "Of course I will play role as far as I can to strengthen relations between the two countries as Bangladesh is my key foundation."

She said when she had worked at House of Commons, she had played a role in increasing assistance to Bangladesh as she has close understanding with Labour Party MPs, including Prime Minister Tony Blair.

On UK government policy for the Middle East, particularly sending troops to Iraq, Raushanara said she felt that it was a wrong decision. And she doesn''t support it, as it has raised question about the credibility of the Labour Party.

To comment about the latest situation in Bangladesh, the young unmarried lady, who had worked with Labour Party MP Una King as Parliamentary Assistant since 1997 till 1999, said the people of Bangladesh are worthy and they would choose the right way.

"But, we want to see an economically sound Bangladesh-and the people would do whatever necessary for it," remarked Raushanara, who had performed responsibility as governor of Tower Hamlet College and a member of GMC Trade Union for 10 years.

She also worked at the Institute for Public Policy Research, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Home Office in the UK.During her visit to Bangladesh six times, Raushanara came thrice on official tour while thrice on personal trip.

She has sought cooperation and blessings from the people of Bangladesh to make her mission a success.