UK elections: 34 candidates of Bangladeshi origin

A significant number of British citizens of Bangladeshi origin are contesting from various parties in the national elections of the United Kingdom to be held on 4 July this year. There are also some who are contesting as independent candidates. In all, at least 34 candidates of Bangladeshi origin are contesting in the election.

Eight British nationals of Bangladeshi origin have been nominated by the main opposition Labour Party. Four who are already members of parliament and have been nominated again are Rushanara Ali, Rupa Huq, Tulip Siddiq and Afsana Begum. Rushanara Ali is contesting from Bethnal Green and Stepney, Rupa Huq from Ealing Central and Acton, Tulip Siddiq from Hampstead and Kilburn and Afsana Begum from Poplar and Limehouse. The other four candidates are Rumi Chowdhury from Witham, Rufia Ashraf from South Northhamptonshire, Nurul Huq Ali from Gordon and Buchan, and Najmul Hussain from Brigg and Immingham.

Two candidates of Bangladeshi origin have been nominated by the ruling Conservative Party. They are Atiq Rahman from Tottenham in North London and Syed Saiduzzaman from Ilford South.

Six British nationals of Bangladeshi origin have been nominated by Workers Party of Britain. They are Golam Tipu of Ilford South, Prince Sadiq Chowdhury of Bedford, Mohammad Shahed Hossain of Hackney South, Faisal Kabir from Altrincham and Sale, Mohammad Bilal from Manchester Rusholme, and Halima Khan from Stratford and Bow.

Raj Farhad is contesting from Ilford South as Reform Party candidate.

Nominated by the Liberal Democrats, Rabina Khan is contesting from Bethnal Green and Bow.

Naz Anis Miah is contesting as a Scottish Nationalist Party candidate from Dunfermline and Dollar.

Sayeed Siddiqui is contesting as a Green Party candidate from Ilford South, Sayeed Shamsuzzaman Shams from Oldham West and Royton, and Sharmin Rahman from Leicester South.

Mumtaz Khanam is the Socialist Party candidate from Folkstone.

Eleven candidates of Bangladeshi origin are contesting as independent candidates. Wais Islam is contesting from Holborn and St Pancras. Ajmal Masrur, Suman Ahmed and Sam Uddin are contesting from Bethnal Green and Stepney. Ehteshamul Huq is contesting from Poplar and Limehouse, Omar Faruk and Nizam Ali from Stratford and Bow, Nurjahan Begum from Ilford South, Habib Rahman from Newcastle Central West, Abul Kalam Azad from Bexhill and Battle, and Raja Miah from Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton.

A total of 98 political parties, large and small, are taking part in the forthcoming UK elections. There are a record number of 4,515 candidates for 650 seats in the House of Commons. There are no constituencies with less than five candidates this election. The highest number of candidates for a single seat is 13. There are 459 independent candidates contesting in 317 constituencies. And 35 parties have fielded one candidate each.