Bangladeshi Businesses in the UK Imran A. Chowdhury From the humble start of Bangladeshi owned businesses in the UK starting from the mid 50s to today is no more than a mammoth success story. Bangladesh; the then old Golden Bengal and England have a very long standing trading relation stretching back more than 312 years. Bengal was one of the biggest trading partners of UK exporting in excess of 700, 000 tons of textiles in 1790s. A lot of water has rolled down the rivers of Bengal and Thames since then. Today Bengali owned businesses are a thriving phenomenon in the UK.Bangladeshi owned businesses are among the highest growth of SME’s in the British Isles from London - Lands End - Fulham to Fort William and Dover to Andover.
The curry industry is one of the significant success story of the Bangladeshi owned businesses which has encompassed the length and the breadth of the country and the social contribution of the curry houses are enormous out of all the common wealth migrant diasporas, Bangladeshi diaspora is the only one who has given the British nation a national dish; lovingly known as Chicken Tikka Masala for the last 20 years and going on as strong as ever. There is not a single high street in the UK, not a lone City, Nor a single Town or a shopping parade where there is no Bangladeshi restaurant today.
The flag of Bangladesh is flying very tall in every corner of UK. The business acumen and the management of the industry are very basic and rudimentary yet so successful. It perhaps only came for the resilience and hard working ethos of the Bengalis. Today there are in excess of 1000 Grocery shops and cash and carries, 120 law firms, 100 travel agents, 450 - 500 clothing shops plus more than another 1500 other category of business flourishing and are riding the waves of the British economy. This is one of the epitomes of a success story for a young community arriving in the mid 50s.
The emergence of our own Television visual media is the icing on the cake. The TV channels owned by the Bangladeshi community has been playing a pivotal role in reaching out to the community with the best of Bangladeshi folks music , the landscapes of pristine Bengal, the valleys and the rivers and the hoars of rural Bengal has captivated the Bengali audience since its inception. Infotainment and cultures and ethos of intricate pure Bengali cultures emanating to the new generation who has never been to Bangladesh have been showcased by these TV channels. ITN Europe is part of the best channels amongst all who brings out the best of Bangladesh. As if it is a window for our new generation looking out to the Sonar Bangla.; a home from home.
Bangladeshi owned businesses have been very prudent and forthcoming to embrace this new phenomenon of the TV to advance their products and services by means of advertising, sponsoring programmes and participating in various community based discussions, talk shows and debates from the day one. These arrangements have worked like a magic to increase revenue, incremental footfall and Pan UK wide exposures of their business. It was more passion than profit for both parties were working in unison like hands in gloves.
Today to see these businessmen being honoured for their contribution and along with recognising the champions of the community are a supreme example of friendship and speaks volume of the ITN Europe’s corporate social responsibilities. I wish these levels of mutual cooperation remain in the coming days and continue to showcase the very best of the Bangladeshi community in the UK.