What we have in our borough is a mini-Islamic state, where local Bengalis feel huge pressure to conform and abide by Islamic obligation, even though they’re living in a capital city of a western country. But that country has indirectly encouraged the rise of Islamist by the last Labour government, by political correctness and tolerance to overt religious observations, which have had lead to increase in radicalism and terrorism, which the security services are now doing overtime to prevent Islamic terrorism and thousands of radicals, now under observation, all due to last Government’s failure to rein in on fundamentalism.

Within the British Bangladeshi community, 90% of whom originate from the Greater Sylhet region (the districts of Sylhet, Habiganj, Moulvi Bazaar and Sunamganj), it is the Sylheti regional ethno-linguistic identity which is paramount. Perceptions of both Bengali and Islamic identity is strongly influenced by the Sylheti outlook and values. For example, most Sylhetis speak the Sylheti language (which differs from ‘standard’ Bangla) and therefore do not follow the language-based Bengali nationalism of Non-Sylheti Bengalis with much fervour. In addition, Islam in Bengal began in Sylhet and Sylheti Islam has been strongly influenced by the Sufi-influence and teachings of Shah Jalal, Shah Piron (of Mazar fame) and recently the late Fultholi’r Miahsabh.

Sylheti Islam is folkish, conservative and family orientated and not exactly in tune with Jamaat’s world-wide Ummahtic vision; most Sylhetis will not even co-operate with Non-Sylheti Bengalis in political matters eg. all Bethnal Green & Bow candidates such as Rushnara Ali, Abjol Miah and Ajmal Masroor are Sylheti. Allusions to Palestine and Iraq are merely a fashionable fad and statement. After all, the radical Socialism of the 1960′s and 70′s in the East End was also led by Bengalis who espoused the worldwide brotherhood of man (another type of Ummah vision) and who supported the struggle in South Africa against apartheid but who nevertheless held conservative views of their womenfolk and would strongly oppose their children marrying non-Bengalis and Allah (SWT) forbid a ‘kala’ (black person). East End radicalism has a history of being a fashionable statement.

The problem with Bengali secular groups in the East End is that they tend to be dominated by Non-Sylheti Bengalis and Hindu Bengalis from west Bengal who are unable to work well with Sylhetis. The solution for the British Bangladeshi community is to participate in mainstream politics and move beyond narrow identity politics of the first generation immigration era and vote and join parties based on positions on a balance of diverse domestic issues. It will also help our community when politicians at the local level who were involved in Bangladesh era Awami League, BNP and Jamaat politics with it’s labyrinthine corrupt and insular practices give way to British-born generation of politicians. This is happening now.

I see great promise in increasing number of British Bangladeshis finding themselves a place in Labour, Lib Dems and increasingly the Conservative parties. tHis is the way to go.