Freeman Gaffar Choudhury at Tower Hamlets Council

By Ansar Ahmed Ullah

A meeting was held between renowned journalist, composer of Ekushey anthem &
Tower Hamlets Freeman Abdul Gaffar Choudhury and Tower Hamlets Councillors
on 11 May at Speaker’s Parlour, Tower Hamlets Town Hall.

Lead member for culture in Tower Hamlets Cllr Asma Begum chaired the
meeting, conducted by Cllr Khales Uddin Ahmed. Guests who spoke at the
meeting were former Cllr Helal Rahman, Leader of the Conservative Party Cllr
Peter Golds, Cllr Andrew Wood, Nadeem Qadir, Minister (press), Bangladesh
High Commission, Nirmul Committee’s Acting President Syed Enam, former Cllr
Ala Uddin amongst others.

The guests appreciated Abdul Gaffar Choudhury’s role during the Bengali
language movement, Bangladesh’s independence struggle, his involvement with
BENTH (Bangladeshi Educational Needs in Tower Hamlets) and many other grass
root community initiatives. Cllr Asma Begum said they were honoured to have
his presence in the Town Hall and by having this meeting she hopes to work
together in the future for the benefit of the whole community. Abdul Gaffar
Choudhury in return said he was pleased to have come and would be willing to
assist the Councillors in anyway. In addition he stressed and stated that
unless we challenge fundamentalism in every spear of society it will be
difficult to defeat extremism within our community.

Those in attendance were journalist Matiar Chowdhury, journalist Syed Anas
Pasha, Nirmul Committee’s Asst Secretary Jamal Khan, journalist Shah
Mustafijur Rahman Belal. Community activist Ansar Ahmed Ullah, journalist
Jewel Raj, community workers Nazma Rahman, Husneara Matin, Ruby Haq, Mojibul
Haq Moni, Ch I’s Abdur Rashid, SATV’s Hefazul Karim Rakib, Labour Party’s
Anisur Rahman Anis and Press Officer Monsur Ahmed.