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**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort will make a historic visit to the heart of the British Bangladeshi community in Brick Lane. The visit is being hosted by the founders of the British Bangladeshi Power and Inspiration (BBPI), Ms Ayesha Qureshi MBE JP and Cllr Abdal Ullah. BBPI are working in partnership Tower Hamlets Council, along with Brick Lane Business Association and Brick Lane Jamme Masjid Trust to make the visit a success.

Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort will meet with elders from the community who were actively involved in the anti-racism movement of the 1970s.

Their Majesties will meet individuals from local charities and businesses to learn about the devasting impact of Covid-19 and will be introduced to women of the BBPI Jamdani Network who are making extraordinary efforts to improve communities locally, nationally and globally. They will end the visit at the Brick Lane Mosque learning about the history of the building which has housed three Abrahamic faiths.

Abdal Ullah said:
“Brick Lane is more than just a street to the British Bangladeshi community. We are humbled and excited beyond words that Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort will visit the community in our spiritual home of Brick Lane. We are looking forwarding to sharing stories of our history and culture with them”.

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Note to Editors:

British Bangladeshi Power & Inspiration (“BBPI”)

BBPI is a platform to celebrate the pioneers, leaders and role models of the British Bangladeshi community and inspire the next generation with positive role models.
Abdal Ullah and Ayesha Qureshi MBE are founders of the BBPI and founding trustees of the BBPI Foundation, Abdal is a renowned activist working both on local and national issues and has held a number of senior executive roles across London. Ayesha is a lawyer working for a range of financial institutions. She was awarded an MBE in the 2006 New Year’s Honours list for her unique role in the successful London Olympic bid. Ayesha is also a Magistrate sitting in London.

Tower Hamlets
Tower Hamlets offers the best of London in one borough. The new East End that epitomises the capital’s past and its future. This mix of old and new, combined with one of the youngest and most diverse populations in the country; award winning parks like Victoria Park; international cultural destinations such as Brick Lane; world class learning institutions and business districts such as Canary Wharf which combine to make Tower Hamlets have one of the largest economic outputs in the UK. This and more makes Tower Hamlets one of the most popular places to live, work, study and visit. Find out more at www.towerhamlets.is The borough is run by Tower Hamlets Council – www.towerhamlets.gov.uk

Altab Ali Park
Altab Ali was a young Bangladeshi man murdered at the age of 25, he was stabbed on 4 May 1978 in Adler Street by three teenage boys as he walked home from work. In his memory, St Mary’s Park was renamed the Altab Ali Park in 1998.
Altab Ali park is located close to Brick Lane and is the location of Altab’s murder. It is now a focal point for the local community and contains The Shaheed Minar, a replica of a monument in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The monument commemorates the Bangla language movement and the path to independence.

Brick Lane

Brick Lane is at the heart of the East End and is one of London’s most iconic streets. Historically it’s been home to French Huguenot and Jewish immigrants, and now it’s a centre for the Bangladeshi community.
One in six Bangladeshi residents across England and Wales live in Tower Hamlets. Locally, the Bangladeshi population remains by far the largest in the country in both proportionate (34.6%) and numerical (107,333) terms.
Along with its rich heritage, Brick Lane is known for its food and the famous selection of curry restaurants. The short stretch of Bangladeshi restaurants at the southern end of Brick Lane is known as Banglatown. Banglatown is home to many annual street festivals including the Boishakhi Mela, the Brick Lane Festival and the Curry Festival.

BBPI Jamdani Women’s Network

Celebrating talent, success and providing inspiration for the next generation of British Bangladeshi women, the group takes its name from the Jamdani saree an intricate traditional Bengali weaving technique usually done on a handloom, using fine silk or cotton and symbolic of identity, heritage, skill and respect.

Brick Lane Mosque
The Brick Lane Mosque is at the heart of the Brick Lane community today, representing stories of immigration, identity, and community aspiration. It provided vital services to the community throughout the Covid-19 lockdowns including 24-hour funeral services at the height of the pandemic.

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For more information please contact:
BBPI Press Office – 07956 124 264 www.bbpower-inspiration.com
Tower Hamlets Press Office- 020 7364 4389 communications@towerhamlets.gov.uk