I am 64 years old. I am a British Bangladeshi. I came to the UK in 1989 and since then I have been living in Chapeltown, Leeds. Before I came I completed my degree from University of Dhaka. In Bangladesh I was a Senior Director in the Public Sector.

I tried to accommodate myself with British culture and society. I faced lots of issues and challenges and institutional discrimination. The Bangladeshi community was highly deprived, and suffered with many issues like language barriers, and so were unable to get appropriate services from the Council.

95% of the Bangladeshi population in UK come from the impoverished rural area of Sylhet. Mostly we live in Harehills and Chapeltown, or Beeston and Holbeck. Many came in the late 1950s and were mainly unskilled or semi-skilled. They arrived at a time when the textile and heavy engineering industries were already in decline. So they had little experience of settled employment. Some did find jobs in engineering and in foundries. And others in the catering industry. But the majority were unemployed.

Because of my educational background Bangladeshi people visited my house with various problems like housing, schooling, benefit and unemployment issues. Since then it has always been in my mind how best I can help and support the community for their wellbeing. This motivated me to obtain further skills, knowledge and work experience.

I joined the Chapeltown Citizens Advice Bureau. After my training there I joined Bankside Primary School as Home School Liaison officer and bi-lingual teaching assistant. I then moved to the Leeds City Council Benefits and Rights department to run the Bangladeshi Education, Training and Advice Centre. I worked there for twelve years and developed many training programmes, after school clubs for under achieving children, youth clubs and women’s groups.