A discussion and iftar gathering were organized on March 17 at Baraka Restaurant in East London by the human rights organization Justice for Victims UK, focusing on the current situation in Bangladesh and the demand for expatriates’ voting rights.

The event was jointly conducted by the organization’s General Secretary, Tanvir Ahmed, and Assistant General Secretary, Fahim Ahmed, under the presidency of Islam Uddin. The chief guest of the event was Barrister Abu Bakkar Molla, spokesperson of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami for Britain and Europe. The keynote speaker was Barrister Saifuddin Khaled, the elected Speaker of Tower Hamlets.

Special guests included Shahriar Alam Shipar, former president of Sylhet Metropolitan Shibir; Professor Moinul Hossain, Assistant Publicity Secretary of BNP; young lawyer Saifur Rahman Parvez; Mohammad Zahirul Islam, President of Justice for Victims UK; Asaduzzaman Shafi, President of the human rights organization Right of People; and Burhan Uddin Chowdhury, General Secretary of Fight for Rights International. Also present was Mohammad Latif Ahmed, Media Secretary of Justice for Victims UK.

Several other speakers addressed the iftar gathering, including Nadia Fatema, Legal Affairs Secretary of the organization; Maruf Ahmed, Event Management Secretary; Md. Raihan Mia, Assistant Organization Secretary; Md. Muhibur Rahman Bulbul, Sports Affairs Secretary; Imtiaz Ahmed Emon, Assistant Media Secretary; Zahid Ahmed, Assistant Information Secretary; and Mohammad Jahangir Ahmed, Health Affairs Secretary.

Other notable attendees included Dollar Biswas, President of Face for Bangladesh; Zainul Abedin, President of the Online Activist Forum; Raihan Ahmed, President of Fight for Rights International; community leader Abdul Ali; accountant Khandaker Hossain Ahmed Imon; Mansur Hussain, Vice Chairman of Fight for Rights International; and Abdullah Mohammad Taher, former president of Sylhet Polytechnic College Shibir.

Additionally, the event was attended by Abdullah Al Imran, Assistant Event Management Secretary; Jamil Ahmed, Assistant Cultural Secretary; Sajjad Hossain Mahan, Assistant Finance Secretary; human rights activists Abdul Mannan (Raju), Majid Mia, Rokshan Hossain, Md. Noman Mia, Sultan Ahmed, Hossain Ahmed, and Mohammad Ali; BNP leader Nizam Uddin; and former student leader Ashrafuzzaman (Jewel).