Ishaque Ali remembered
News Desk
Shottobani
London: A remembrance meeting organised by Altab Ali Foundation was held on 25 June at Pure Chai Seminar Room in Vallance Road, East London, to commemorate the racist killing of Ishaque Ali in Hackney in 1978. The killing took place a month after Altab Ali’s racist murder in 1978.
The event was chaired by Chairperson Nooruddin Ahmed and conducted by its Secretary, Ansar Ahmed Ullah.
The Secretary mentioned that on the early morning of 26 June, 45-year-old Eshaque Ali and his companion Faruk Uddin, aged 20, were attacked near Ali’s home in Urswick Road, who lived in nearby Coopersale Road, by three white youths. They were punched, and one report mentions a boot lace was used to try to strangle them. Eshaque Ali, a father of five, collapsed with a heart attack and died soon after being taken to the hospital. At the time, Ishaque’s cousin Sofar ud Din told the Hackney Gazette, “He was attacked because of his colour. There was no money taken. It happens all the time in the East End.” Hackney activist Alok Biswas who knew the family said “Faruq, who is recovering in hospital from his severe beating told me that the white youths called the two Bengalis ‘Paki bastards’ and ‘stinking blacks.”
At the meeting, Ishaque Ali’s brother-in-law, Jahangir Khan, said that Ishaque Ali was born in Fen Gram in Moria union in Beani Bazar. He was a very friendly, humorous and loving person. He owned a restaurant in Holloway Road and a factory in Hackney. He was attacked along with his acquaintance late at night on 26 June 1978 near his home. He died in Hackney Hospital in the early hours of 26 June as a result of a severe beating.
Others who spoke were Altab Ali Foundations’ (AAF) Advisor Akikur Rahman, Altab Ali Trust’s Rafique Ullah, Bangladesh Youth Front’s (BYF) Jamal Miah, BYF’s Abdus Sattar, Bangladesh Youth Movement’s Chunu Meah, activist Abdul Malik Khukon, actor Shadhin Khasru, AAF’s Asst Secretary Jamal Khan, Swadhinata Trust chairperson Julie Begum, BYF’s Joynal Choudhury, Bangaldesh Youth League’ Salim Ullah, journalist Shah Mustafijur Rahman Belal, Reporters Unity president Sajidur Rahman, Ishaque Ali’s youngest son Shuhel Ahmed, Ishaque Ali’s daughter in law, Hasina Ahmed, Progressive Youth Organisation’s Shuva Motin, Khalique Ahmed amongst others.
Tributes were also paid to the organisers of Hackney & Tower Hamlets Defence Committee, Alok Biswas, Bhajan Chatterjee and Patrick Kodikara, who protested at the racist killing of Ishaque Ali and organised year long anti-racist demonstrations in Hackney and Tower Hamlets.
The speakers emphasised the publication of a booklet to collaborate with Swadhinata Trust on collecting and preserving the story of Ishaque Ali in particular and the anti-racist movement in general, and to observe Ishaque Ali’s death annually.
Eshaque Ali had come to London from Bangladesh nine years earlier and worked as a tailor. Three young men were eventually arrested for the attack and charged with murder. A 17-year-old cabinet maker from Kentish Town Road, Camden, and two 16-year-old males from Homerton. In 1979, three youths each received six months’ imprisonment for mugging Ishaque Ali.
The meeting concluded with a special prayer for Ishaque Ali’s soul by Hafiz Md Zillu Khan.