A record 34 candidates of Bangladeshi origin are standing in the UK general election, with a maximum of eight among them representing the opposition Labour Party.
According to the BBC, most of these 34 candidates are running for the first time, with many standing as independents in opposition to the Labour Party's stance on the Gaza crisis.
In 2015, there were 11 British-Bangladeshi candidates in the UK parliamentary elections, and this number increased to 14 in 2019. This year, it has jumped to 34.
The general election is scheduled for Jul 4. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak surprised everyone by announcing early elections, at least six months before the current government was to run its term. Campaigning has now reached a fever pitch.
According to the Labour Party's website, six of the eight Bangladeshi-origin candidates on their candidate list are women.
The ruling Conservative Party’s website indicates that they have nominated two candidates of Bangladeshi origin this time.
Among other parties, the Workers Party of Britain has six candidates, Reform UK has one, the Liberal Democrats (Lib Dems) have one, the Scottish National Party (SNP) has one, the Green Party has three, and the Socialist Party has one candidate of Bangladeshi origin.
Besides these 23 candidates, 11 British nationals of Bangladeshi origin are standing as independents in the UK general election.
Many British-Bangladeshis are running as independent candidates in protest against the Labour Party's silence on Israel's actions in Gaza.
Labour leader Keir Starmer recently came under fire in the The Sun's Election Showdown for his position on deporting illegal immigrants, particularly Bangladeshis.
Taking advantage of this situation, independent candidates of Bangladeshi origin are aiming to attract British-Bangladeshis who typically support the Labour Party.
This election sees a record number of British-Bangladeshi candidates, including 14 from Labour and the Workers Party of Britain.
EIGHT LABOUR CANDIDATES, FOUR ARE MPS
Labour Party has nominated eight British-Bangladeshi candidates this election, matching the number from the 2019 election.
Among these candidates, four are sitting Members of Parliament from the recently dissolved parliament, all contesting from their respective constituencies: Rushanara Ali in Bethnal Green and Stepney, Rupa Huq in Ealing Central and Acton, Tulip Siddiq in Hampstead and Kilburn, and Apsana Begum in Poplar and Limehouse.
In this election, Rushanara's constituency has shifted slightly from Bethnal Green and Bow in 2019 to Bethnal Green and Stepney. The Bow area has merged with Stratford to form the new constituency of Stratford and Bow.
Rushanara, hailing from Sylhet, made history in 2010 as the first British MP of Bangladeshi origin, representing the Labour Party. Since then, she has been elected three times and is now running for her fourth term.
Born in 1975 in Sylhet’s Bishwanath Upazila, Rushanara moved to London with her family at the age of seven. She holds degrees in philosophy, politics, and economics and currently serves as an associate director at the Young Foundation, a consulting firm.
Tulip, the niece of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, became an MP in 2015 after winning the Labour Party's nomination. She was re-elected for a second term in 2019.
She is the granddaughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, born to his youngest daughter Sheikh Rehana and Shafique Ahmed Siddique, a former professor at Dhaka University.
Born in London’s Mitcham, Tulip spent her early years in Bangladesh, India, and Singapore. She holds a Master's degree in Politics, Policy and Government from King's College London.
During the same election year, Rupa, born in London’s Ealing, and also of Bangladeshi descent from Pabna, successfully contested under the Labour Party alongside Tulip.
Rupa joined the Labour Party in 1991 and is recognised as a writer, music DJ, and columnist.
In the 2005 election, she contested under the Labour Party in Chesham and Amersham but did not win. She also ran for the European Parliament in 2004.
In 2019, Apsana was elected as an MP for the first time, representing the Poplar and Limehouse constituency in East London.
MP Apsana gained prominence for her vocal advocacy in the British parliament against the ongoing Israeli attack in Gaza and her support for a ceasefire.
She was born and raised in Tower Hamlets, with her ancestral home in Sunamganj’s Jagannathpur in Bangladesh.
Four other Labour Party candidates
Rumi Chowdhury has been nominated by Labour in Witham, Rufia Ashraf in South Northamptonshire, Nurul Hoque Ali in Gordon and Buchan, and Najmul Hussain in Brigg and Immingham.
Two Tory candidates
The ruling Conservative Party has fielded two Bangladeshi-born Britons: Attic Rahman in Tottenham and Sayeed Syduzzaman in Ilford South.
Six Workers' Party candidates
Six British-Bangladeshis are contesting from the Workers' Party of Britain. They are Golam Tipu in Ilford South, Prince Sadiq Chaudhury in Bedford, Mohammed Shahed Hussain in Hackney South, Faisal Kabir in Altrincham and Sale West, Mohhamed Bilal in Manchester Rusholme, and Halima Khan in Stratford and Bow.
One from Reform UK
British-Bangladeshi candidate Raj Forhad is contesting the Ilford South seat for the hard-line nationalist party Reform UK.
One from the Lib Dems
Rabina Khan is running as a Lib Dems candidate in Bethnal Green and Stepney, where Rushanara is contesting from Labour.
One from the Scottish National Party
Naz Anis-Miah, a British citizen of Bangladeshi origin, is the Scottish National Party candidate for the Dunfermline and Dollar constituency.
Three Green Party candidates
Three British-Bangladeshis are standing for the Green Party, which aims to build a climate-resilient UK. They are Syed Siddiqi in Ilford South, Samsuzzaman Syed in Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton seat, and Sharmen Rahman in Leicester.
One from the Socialist Party
Momtaz Khanom is the Socialist Party candidate for the Folkestone constituency.
Eleven independent candidates and their constituencies
Eleven British-Bangladeshis are running as independent candidates in the UK national elections. Among them, three are contesting in Bethnal Green and Stepney: Ajmal Masroor, Md Somon Ahmed, and Sam Uddin.
The other eight independent candidates are:
-Wais Islam in Holborn and St Pancras
-Ehtasham Haque in Poplar and Limehouse
-Noor Jahan Begum in Ilford South
-Habib Rahman in Newcastle Central and West
-Raja Miah in Oldham West
-Omar Faruk and Nizam Ali in Stratford and Bow
GENERAL ELECTION OVERVIEW
According to The Guardian, a total of 95 political parties, both large and small, have fielded candidates in this UK general election. Historically, 4,515 candidates are competing for the 650 seats in the House of Commons, the lower house of Parliament.
Britain's Mirror reported that the national election is highly competitive, with at least five candidates contesting each seat, and a maximum of 13 candidates in one seat. This election sees 459 independent candidates running in 317 seats.
According to BBC calculations, out of the 95 parties fielding candidates, 34 have only one candidate each, while the remaining parties have multiple candidates.
[Writing in English by Arshi Fatiha Quazi]