Bangladeshis in UK general election
Dhaka: A number of Bangladeshi-origin British citizens are contesting in the UK general elections for the first time. Eleven Bangladeshi origins including Rushnara Ali, Rupa Asha Haque and Tulip Rezwana Siddiq are running in the election from three major political parties.
Seven among them are running from the opposition Labour Party, three with the Liberal Democrats Party’s banner, and a contestant has been nominated from the Conservative Party.
Of the Bangladesh born candidates, three female candidates Rushnara Ali, Tulip Rezwana Siddiq, and Rupa Asha Haque are ahead in the public opinion race. They are in the top list of the Lord Ashcroft’s pre-election constituency-based survey.
Rushnara Ali became the first Bangladeshi origin British to elect as a Member of Parliament from Labour Party with a majority on 6 May 2010. She won from Bengali-dominated East London constituency of Bethnal Green and Bow in 2010.
Rushnara is contesting from the same constituency in the general election 2015 and considered as one of the favourites of the constituency.
Hampstead and Kilburn constituency candidate Tiulip Siddiq and Ealing Central and Acton constituency candidate Rupa are ahead than the other candidates of their constituencies in constituency-based survey.
Tiulip Siddiq is the daughter of Sheikh Rehana, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s younger sister.