Nation's first female Muslim MPs rejoice

by Priyo Australia | May 11, 2010 3:14 am

BRITAIN’s first female Muslim members of parliament are celebrating after winning seats in the general election.

Rushanara Ali, the first person of Bangladeshi origin to be elected to the British Parliament, won the east London seat of Bethnal Green and Bow for the Labour Party with a comfortable majority.

”To millions of Bangladeshis around the world, it will mean so much to them that somebody of their background has been elected to the mother of all parliaments,” said the 35-year-old, who was born in Sylhet, Bangladesh, and moved to east London when she was seven.

East London is the heart of the Bangladeshi community in Britain. Some street signs around the Brick Lane area are written in both English and Bengali.

Labour’s Shabana Mahmood and Yasmin Qureshi were also being feted for being among the first wave of Muslim women ever elected to the House of Commons.

Ms Mahmood won the seat of Birmingham Ladywood in Britain’s second-biggest city. The constituency has the highest percentage of citizens claiming unemployment benefits in Britain.

Ms Mahmood was born and bred in Birmingham. She studied at Oxford University then became a lawyer.

She described her victory as ”a real breakthrough”.

”I think it sends a powerful message … Parliament should reflect the people it represents.”

Ms Qureshi, 46, a Pakistani-born lawyer, moved to Britain when she was nine. She was elected in Bolton, north-west England.

”I’m absolutely delighted. Obviously, I am very pleased the voters of Bolton South East chose a Labour candidate and elected a Labour MP. It is a truly humbling experience and I promise to work very hard.”

click the following link to see Rushanara Ali’s website at http://www.rushanaraali.org/[1]

Link requested by Chowdhury Md. SADARUDDIN | original source[2]

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