Feature

A hat-trick of exam success at UK!

By Rezaul Karim, back from UK

Now a day in Britain, the new generations of British-Bangladeshis have began to take control of their own destinies. Bangladeshis living in the United Kingdom are slowly breaking the cycle of their ancestral restaurant business and getting into the country's mainstream professions. Parents have started sending their children in schools and colleges so that they can cope with the present day world.

A proud family: (from left) successful student Mahbubur Rahman, mother Feroza Haque, brother Mohammad Abu Yusuf, father Sirajul Haque and third brother Masiur Rahman.

The third and fourth generation ones are now becoming barristers, doctors, engineers, information technologists, management specialists and businessmen. Currently the second and third generations are graduating in academic levels and started going into white-collar jobs and are also taking interest in asserting their position in British administration and business institutions. Though their numbers are still very limited, but the trend is upward and encouraging. Last year, a large number of Bangladeshi students achieved tremendous success in O level and A level examinations and most of them were admitted into renowned universities in UK.

There are officially about 400,000 British Bangladeshis in the UK, unofficially we present a figure of half a million or so. The first generation settled around the 60s and anchored in restaurant business either as chefs, waiters and subsequently as owners. Let's take the example of three young brothers, who graduated from their higher education. Of them, two Oldham brothers celebrated after they both graduated from their higher studies on the same day from the same college.

In fact, the Rahman family have scored a hat-trick of exam success over the past one year Masiur and Mahbubur successfully completed their courses at Rochdale's Hopwood Hall College a year after younger brother Mohammed Abu Yusuf graduated from there. To mark the occasion, their parents flew over from Bangladesh to join in the celebrations at the brothers' Plato Street home. The Rahman family hailed from Villaage Padua under Debidwaar of Comilla district.

The brothers have been living in Oldham for over three years, having moved there to complete their studies. Masiur was awarded a BTEC HND in business information technology and 35-year-old Mahbubur was awarded a BTEC Advanced Professional Certificate in management studies. Both are now studying at Huddersfield University. Abu Yusuf, 22, graduated with a BTEC HND in business and marketing and is working towards a Masters in business and finance at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Principal Derek O'Toole said: “We at the college were delighted to welcome the Rahman family to see our successful graduates receive their qualifications at Rochdale Town Hall. The fact that Mr and Mrs Rahman went to such lengths to share the evening with us and celebrate the success of their sons indeed made it an extra special occasion.”