Prothom Alo :
You supported the anti-discrimination movement of general students in Bangladesh during July and August and protested the killing of students in the British parliament. How did you grasp the students' appeal from such a distance?
The UK government was aware of the anti-discrimination movement in Bangladesh in different ways. Many in the parliament supported the motion that I moved in the parliament by signing it. The student-led movement managed to galvanise people from all backgrounds.
The youth want Bangladesh to progress. They want a positive change so that lives become better. This is why they came forward. Human rights should be strengthened in Bangladesh, and this was clearly put forward by Gen Z. They succeeded to activate the people, where the opposition parties failed due to lack of a clean image. We must take these issues into consideration.
Prothom Alo :
As a young representative in the UK parliament, how do you see the student-people uprising in Bangladesh?
The lesson from my political career and faith is – ensuring equity everywhere and building a healthy and pure society with participation of everyone. What the students in Bangladesh have achieved is historic, and it must not fail. All should learn from the previous government’s failures and work shoulder to shoulder to build a new Bangladesh.
In my view, the loss of public confidence was the main reason for the previous government's downfall. Now, I hope all will come together and rebuild things in a better way.
Properties of former former Bangladeshi land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury have been traced in the UK, and around 70 of those are located in your constituency – Poplar and Limehouse. You have written to the UK's national crime agency (NCA) to initiate an investigation. Have you received any response?
First of all, I am personally very surprised. As far as we know, Saifuzzaman Chowdhury owns properties not only in the UK but also in the US, Dubai, Singapore, and Malaysia. A total of 72 properties were found in my constituency alone. So, I looked into it.
My position is – anyone involved in corruption, including members of the Awami League government, should be investigated thoroughly. Bangladesh is going through many economic adversities. The current government should consider the matter seriously and take necessary measures. You have asked if I have received any response from the NCA. I have actually asked for their assistance in investigating the issue. As far as I know, the director general's office is looking into the matter. There are many Bangladeshis in Tower Hamlets, and they too demand justice.
Apart from Saifuddin, many Bangladeshi businessmen and politicians are said to have smuggled illicit assets into the UK. How can the Bangladesh government seek help from the UK to repatriate these assets?
Money laundering and asset theft take a country backward. We, who are from the grassroots, want Bangladesh to thrive democratically. There is no doubt that these issues will require assistance from the UK government. As a person of Bangladeshi origin who grew up in the UK with , I know that a large number of people from Bangladesh reside in the UK and all over the world. Bangladesh is the sixth largest origin country for international migrants in the world. We also know that the Covid pandemic showed a disproportionate impact on the poor and vulnerable in the UK and all around the world. It is important that UK-Bangladesh relations consider these inequalities and the rights of workers. I would like to see a strengthening of worker’s and trade union rights in Bangladesh.
You have been suspended from the Labour Party's parliamentary committee for six months. Earlier, there seemed to be some distance between you and the party. Is this because of your closeness to former party leader Jeremy Corbyn, or is there another reason?
I was suspended from the Labour Party's parliamentary group for six months, not from the party itself. I have socialist principles and I believe in standing up against war and injustice. I am currently suspended from the Parliamentary Labour Party for 6 months due to my vote to remove the cap on social benefits which is limited to two children in a household. I am not suspended from membership of the Labour Party. When making decisions I consider what is in the national interest, my constituents’ interests and also my political parties interests. I prioritised my constituents interests in relation to this vote. My constituency has one of the highest rates of child poverty in the entire country. In one of the richest countries in the world, this does not need to be the case.
You have been very vocal in parliament and beyond in favour of Palestine regarding the Gaza war. You also voted against your party on the ceasefire proposal. How do you see the current war situation?
The aggression in Gaza is unacceptable under any circumstances. Over 42,000 Palestinians have been killed, many of them children. I have always spoken out in this regard in the parliament and will continue to do so in future. Whichever government remains in power, it should stand in favour of justice and against war. The majority of the British people support a ceasefire. The arms trade is a significant issue here. Parliamentarians alongside me have continued to call for an end to all arms sales to Israel and to stop UK involvement in the killing in Gaza. We will continue to do so until the killing stops.
Where do you see yourself as a politician in the future?
I am not a conventional Westminster politician who has a 5 year or 10 year career plan. My election to Parliament came on the back of grassroots activism and local campaigns over years to protect public services, saving our community language services and standing up for local people. The people that elected me are my priority and, and I will continue to represent their concerns in Parliament. Working for them is and will always be my priority.
Thank you.
Thank you too.