Bangalee communities at a meeting have vowed to stay united and work collectively against all forms of extremism.
The speakers made the pledge at the event at Brick Lane Mosque, Brick Lane in London on Tuesday.
Bangalee communities led by Bangladesh Welfare Association, the largest Bangalee organisation in UK, organised the meeting under the banner of "Unity Platform Against Racism And Fascism."
Harmuz Ali, the association president and vice chair of Brick Lane Mosque, chaired it.
Pointing out the negative impacts of rioting in Whitechapel area on August 8, they called upon the authorities concerned to ban the proposed march planned by English Defence League (EDL) in Tower Hamlets on September 3.
Harmuz Ali said, "We oppose all forms of extremism--from whatever quarter. We believe that the people of Tower Hamlets should be allowed to live without the threat of violence and fear. This is why we are calling on the authorities to ban the EDL march of hate."
Tower Hamlets, a vibrant multiracial area, which has a long and proud history of resistance to racism and fascism specially in Brick Lane-Banglatown area in the 1970s. The people of Tower Hamlets came together just as they did in 1936 to see off the fascists, they said.
Guest speakers were Tower Hamlets MPs Rushanara Ali and Jim Fitzpatrick, Murad Qureshi AM, John Biggs GLA, Councillor Peter Golds, Leader of the Conservative Group, London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Councillor Helal Uddin Abbas, Spitalfields & Banglatown, Cllr Khales Ahmed, Rev Andy Rider, Rector Christ Church Spitalfields, Leon Silver, Senior Warden & Honorary Officer: East London Central Synagogue, Steering Group Member: Tower Hamlets Interfaith Forum, Nurul Islam, general secretary, Bangladesh Welfare Association, Dr M A Hannan, educationalist, Ex Tower Hamlets Mayor Golam Mortuza and Sam Tarry, campaign organiser, HOPE not hate.
Source : The Daily Star
