Altab Ali Day commemorated with tributes and panel discussion

London, May 07 (Special Correspondent/OurVoice) – The Annual Altab Ali Day commemorations took place on Sunday at Altab Ali Park, Whitechapel, marking another year of reflection and tribute to Altab Ali's legacy and the ongoing fight against racism and injustice.
The event commenced with a solemn wreath-laying ceremony, attended by Cabinet Members of Tower Hamlets, a representative of the Bangladesh High Commission and local councillors, including Cllr Kamrul Hussain, Lead Member for Culture Cllr Abdul Wahid, Lead Member for Equalities and former Speaker Cllr Shafi Ahmed. Representatives from the Altab Ali Foundation also laid wreaths, Mohammad Aklakur Rahman of the Altab Ali Trust, the Jewish Socialist Group, Stand Up to Racism and Detective Superintendent Vicky Tunstall, the Met’s neighbourhood policing lead for Tower Hamlets.
A minute’s silence followed the wreath-laying, after which poet and writer Anika Wadood delivered a moving poetry reading. Wadood, founder of Resham Collective and Advocacy and Campaigns Fellow at the Asylum Reform Initiative, set the tone for a commemorative and forward-looking event.
Councillor Kamrul Hussain, who conducted the event, also addressed the audience alongside Cllr Abdul Wahid, Cllr Shafi Ahmed, Akbar Hussain (Minister for Press at the Bangladesh High Commission), Ashraf Mahmud Neswar from the Altab Ali Foundation, Hamida Idris of the Altab Ali Trust, David Rosenberg of the Jewish Socialist Group and Sheila McGregor from Stand Up to Racism.
Later in the evening, a panel discussion titled Protest Across the Generations was held at the Bardy Centre, hosted by Nijjor Manush. Introduced by Salwa Rahman and moderated by Dr Fatema Ragina, the conversation featured a panel of activists, Dr Ansar Ahmed Ullah, Secretary of the Altab Ali Foundation; Tasnim Amin Siddiqa, a queer, working-class Bangladeshi-British artist and activist and Rajon Uddin Jalal, founder of the Bangladesh Youth Movement.
The discussion traced the evolution of protest within British Bengali and wider anti-racist movements, reflecting on historic milestones and their influence on present-day activism. Panelists explored the effectiveness of peaceful protest versus more radical or disruptive actions, including those currently led by groups like Palestine Action.
The day highlighted the enduring impact of Altab Ali's legacy and the community's continued commitment to challenging racism, injustice and inequality.