The Brick Lane, Banglatown Boishakhi Mela started in May 1997. The idea of the Boishakhi Mela initially discussed by three people, Gulam Mustafa of Udichi Shilpi Gosthi UK, Shadhin Khasru of Kobi Nazrul Center, Co-ordinator LBTH, Ansar Ahmed Ullah, original thinker of Swadniatha Trust who was council office. The gang of three approach local councillor Gulam Mortuza explain the idea of the Boishakhi Mela and they all meet with M A Rouf, Accountant who was Chairman of Brick Lane Bussiness Association, also need to mention M A Rouf political affiliation with Suranjit Sengupta MP's Ganatantri party later join UK Awami League where M A Rouf any issues or every issues concerned our community which unless he gets the position of Chairman which he never get involved or anyone see him around. They all agreed to submit application to Cityside Regeneration Ltd for funding the Boishakhi Mela after consultation with me where the Cityside Regeneration Ltd central government Single Generation Budget (SRB3) funding by the Central Government and Local Authority as accountable body where myself and Rojon Uddin Jalal seat as Tower Hamlet Council nominee as founder director of the Cityside Regeneration. After Cityside Regeneration agree to funding the Boishakhi Mela, initially meeting was arrenge involved number of local organisation including Brick Lane Bussiness Association and agreed to appoint Mahmud A Rouf as a convenor. Meeting used to held at the Cityside Regeneration office where part from all community organisation the Brick Lane Town Management, manager Nicki, Cityside Regeneration, Di and Tower Hamlet Council two officers that is including Nisar Ahmed, and Ansar Ahmed Ullah Regeneration officers used attended all meeting but first two or three meeting always became problematic due to M A Rouf never believe in partice collective leadership approach or does honor other accept himself as self-center person. M A Rouf always want to dominate and control everything of leading the Boishakhi Mela like other where few times Chief Executive, Andrew Bramidge, who was ask to join the meeting but it didn't help to improve the situation or attitude and behaviour of making collective discussion. However, normally where council officers or any other funding body seat or come ad observer the committee all business of operation run smooth manner but with the Boishakhi Mela none-stop argument and infighting, where no sign of Boishakhi Mela event could take place, so I was asked by Regeneration office Nisar Ahmed to join the Boishakhi Mela committee, still there was time to time difficulty but two Boishakhi Mela event took under loss leadership of M A Rouf after second Boishakhi Mela end of May 1998 and the first Boishakhi Mela committee was called in June 1998 where I declare to seeking position of Chairman of the Boishakhi Mela only request of some of my friends just after my term of councillor ended in second week of May 1998. So, M A Rouf and Rojon Uddin Jalal both start to playing games but AGM was called both M A Rouf and Rojon Uddin Jalal didn't attend the AGM boycotting the AGM but Boishakhi Mela membership come together in a one voice electing me as chairman of the Boishakhi Mela and M A Roshid as Secretary of the Boishakhi Mela. However, M A Rouf didn't stop his activities outside the main platform acting as Chairman of the Boishakhi Mela but Cityside Regeneration came to call for reconsolidation meeting by Andrew Bramidge, Chief Executive of the Cityside Regeneration, where Nikki from the Brick Lane Town Management and myself arrenge a lunch meeting with M A Rouf at the Alie Street, East London, at an Indian restaurant and four of us meet for a lunch meeting and M A Rouf attitude and behaviour like the Cityside Regeneration to handover position of Chairman to him and saw as an opportunity, I kept myself quite during discussion and realise that nothing going happened to M A Rouf to accept the reality and so I told few things near to Rouf Bhai's ears in Bengali which point M A Rouf started screaming and acting like keep jumping up and down on seating chairs in the restaurant and complaining about me to both Nikki and Andrew by telling them both, I have been using abusive language, strait away I have put my hand over Rouf Bhai's shoulder and started laughing by saying he is my elder brother who find difficult to accept my jokes. At same time what I have told him in his ears where M A Rouf started shitting himself and start to change his attitude and behaviour slowly. Andrew Bramidge offer him coming to following Boishakhi Mela event as a guest on the stage of launching of the event early morning. So, in May 1999 Boishakhi Mela event M A Rouf attended as one of the guests on the stage. Our opening ceremony chief guest Bangladesh High Commission, His Excellency Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali who is current Finance Minister of Bangladesh, Bangladesh renowned Film actress Bobita, Bangladesh Film Director Amjad Hussain, local Councillor Golam Mortuza. Our special guest Lord Jeffrey Archer a novelist and deputy Chairman of Conservative who was London first mayoral candidates in 1999 and he resigned his candidacy who came late and me and Boishakhi Mela secretary M A Roshid give him time to tour all stalls at the Altab Ali Park. In after end of May 2000 there was a coups behind my back by Cllr Ataur Rahman who wants to take revenge from me for his childish attitude and behaviour and got a position of power play games against me where meeting of Boishakhi Mela committee called by the council without consultation or inform me before hand instead using similar concept as before with M A Rouf meeting but the meeting was called at Brady Center, Hanbury Street, East London council own property where only small number of people was attended along with Cllr Ataur Rahman and Cllr Ataur Rahman his opening statement give a artificial picture that is looks like there so much infighting going on within the Boishakhi Mela committee like before but in reality front of me no one opening their mouth but behind my back lots of cooking going on that was the fact. So, Cllr took advantage of such situations getting advice from a council officer keep me out off every organisation as possible to isolate me from the position of influence as already no longer Cllr anymore, that was a big conspiracy start by some people to destroy me from the politics and community by using their power and position, where they where involved with bigger crouption then Shearjul and Boishakhi Mela where, I am going to be their main obstacles, So , they were using Cllr Ataur Rahman against me. So, I didn't make any noise at such a meeting and this is not time for me to make noise but go home takes a long sleep and wake up and start thinking about long time Exit -Plans to get out from the traps set-up by some of my friends their intentions to finish me from community politics and Labour Party politics where they don't realise that they where digging their own grave. The Tower Hamlet Council use to keep me out of everything and Boishakhi Mela going to be leading Tower Hamlet Council following year of Boishakhi Mela, it didn't take me minutes to understand Cllr Ataur Rahman used by other and Shearjul Haque Sheraj got opportunity in plate to making money out of the Boishakhi Mela who was after making money for himself using the community event such as Boishakhi Mela where manage to convince Cllr Ataur Rahman and hr give the community Boishakhi Mela hand of Shearjul Haque Sheraj who setup a private company name of Boishakhi Mela Trust Ltd started taking people from Bangladesh in name of the Boishakhi Mela and after Tower Hamlet people voted a refferadam for directly elected Mayor and Shearjul Haque Sheraj funds election campaign for independent candidate Lutfur Rahman who later elected as a Mayor of Tower Hamlet Council and set a precedent by 9 years Service Level Agreement ( SLA) with Shearjul Haque Sheraj, returning favor for election campaign funds and campaigns for Lutfur Rahman dispite where complaint against Shearjul Haque Sheraj and Boishakhi Mela but Tower Hamlet Mayor ignore everything where many complaint made against Sheraj who wad involved with human trafficking from Bangladesh. but mayor Lutfur Rahman ignore people complaint become blindeye on Shearjul activities which until 2010 where British High Commission caught 19 people with fake documents and handover them all to Gulshan Police. This is a press release from British High Commission Dhaka:

"Nineteen UK visa applicants arrested for fraud

27 May 2012 On 24 May Bangladesh Police arrested nineteen UK visa applicants at the British High Commission in Dhaka for fraud. The applicants had provided forged documentation and false statements with their business visitor visa applications to attend the London Boishakhi Mela, as stall holders. The Bangladesh police worked in closen't cooperation with the UK Border Agency and discovered that the applicants had misrepresented their employment status, and produced forged bank statements. The group admitted that they had paid agents up to 10 Lak Taka (approximately £10,000) each to facilitate their visa applications and provide forged documents. Mr Nick Low, British Deputy High Commissioner said: “We welcome all genuine visitors to the United Kingdom, whether they come for business, as tourists or to visit their families. However, we do not tolerate abuse of our immigration system and have zero tolerance to fraud, as this case shows. I strongly advise anyone wanting to obtain a visa to visit the UK not to listen to agents who offer to sell thing forged documents and say they can guarantee a visa. They are criminals who have absolutely no influence over the decision or how quickly it is made.” The UK Border Agency in Bangladesh has an integrated fraud assessment unit, which successfully uncovers and investigates high volumes of fraud and forgery in UK visa applications. In cases such as this, the unit works closely with the Bangladeshi Police, other Embassies and High Commissions to ensure the integrity of documentation, and to identify and take action against fraud. In cases of fraud, the UK Border Agency will refuse the UK visa application and ban the applicant from travelling to the UK for up to 10 years. The Agency may also refer to the applicant and any agent involved to the Bangladesh Police for further investigation and possible charges.

Further information

The UK Border Agency is responsible for securing the UK’s borders and controlling migration to the UK. It decides on the eligibility of foreign nationals to enter and stay in the UK. The Agency is also responsible for enforcing customs regulations. Anyone with information about someone who has abused the UK’s immigration system, or intends to do so, or has helped someone else to do this, can contact the UK Border Agency in Dhaka. Please provide as much information as possible, including details of the individual concerned and their address. The UK Border Agency will treat the information in confidence" In 2018 Boishakhi Mela under Tower Hamlet Council where the steering committee set up. " The largest Boishakhi Mela was staged at Brick Lane on 10 May 1998, organised by a number of groups and businesses and supported by Cityside Regeneration. Mahmud A Rouf was the convener of the first Brick Lane Boishakhi Mela. Sunahwar Ali was elected Chairman of the mela committee in 2000. Since then, the Boishakhi Mela was organised under the Boishakhi Mela Trust Ltd with Shiraj M Haque at the helm." By Nobab Uddin, Boishakhi Mela steering committee. So, slowly the Boishakhi Mela became political football where change of Tower Hamlet Council political makeup by election of Mayor and Council where Aspire Party won the mayoral election and majority councillor in Tower Hamlet in may 2022. The Boishakhi Mela become lost case for our community which East London Mosque and London Muslim Center lobbying Lutfur Rahman to close down the Boishakhi Mela but mayor Lutfur Rahman where in difficult position which move the Boishakhi Mela from Bengali community area to white mostly nonresident are like Victoria Park but after Labour Party candidates John Biggs became mayor Boishakhi Mela came back to Weaver Park Bethnal Green area but after mayoral election of 2022 and Lutfur Rahman get elected as Tower Hamlet Mayor which he got opportunity not do anything to do the Boishakhi Mela which mayor can pleased his political supporters and financial backing for election give by the Islamic section of the Bengali community! Sources of information: British High Commission Dhaka website. Tower Hamlet Council booklet. Reflections of Memories Lane continues.....