Abdal is a renowned activist, widely recognised personality in the British Bangladeshi community and Founder of British Bangladeshi Power & Inspiration (BBPI). He has spearheaded a number of initiatives to celebrate the golden jubilee of Bangladesh and created the iconic image of the London Eye lit up red and green on 26th March. He was the first British Bangladeshi to serve on the Metropolitan Police Authority and the governing Council of Queen Mary, University of London. He is a broadcaster on TV, radio and online.

Aftab has worked in the third, public and the business sector. However, his passion lies in the serving the community. He was the founding Chair of Bangladeshi Youth Forum and then worked as a Senior Civil Servant. He is the founding Director of Legacy WM in 2010 an organisation that delivers services for wellbeing, heritage, arts and young people. Legacy WM has developed an excellent reputation in the West Midlands.
Aftab is passionate about developing the leadership of young people and mentors them to reach their full potential. He sits on several regional and national boards.

Ayesha is the Editor of British Bangladeshi Power & Inspiration and the founding Trustee of the BBPI Foundation. Professionally she works as a senior finance lawyer in London. She was awarded an MBE in the 2006 for her unique role in the successful London Olympic bid. She was the only British Bangladeshi present at a medal ceremony at the 2012 Games. Ayesha is also a Magistrate sitting in London. Having developed award winning corporate social responsibility programs. She delivers inspirational talks to schools and colleges and mentors emerging talent. She is passionate about empowering the next generation of young women.

Jebi has been delivering international and sustainable development programmes for a decade and a half, covering a range of issues including poverty alleviation, quality education, gender equality and climate change. She is currently Head of Transparency and Pathways at Climate Group and has previously worked with BRAC and other large international organisations.

Jebi has gained in-depth country experience working in Bangladesh, India, Japan, South Africa, South Sudan, and overseeing projects in Latin America. She holds Masters degrees from Glasgow and Oxford University. In 2010, she cycled from Sylhet to Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh to highlight the impacts of climate change.

Jelina Berlow-Rahman is an award-winning human rights lawyer specialising in Family Law, Extradition, Fatal Accident Inquiry, Asylum and Immigration. In 2009, she founded JR Rahman Solicitors, merging with a top criminal law firm in 2012, establishing Berlow Rahman Solicitors. Jelina tirelessly advocates for the most vulnerable in our society, including asylum seekers fleeing persecution, women, children facing violence and abuse. Jelina is a long-standing Board Member of Positive Action in Housing, an anti-racist homelessness and human rights charity; Director and Board Member of Gilded Lilly to help empower vulnerable women; and Community Ambassador and Lay Advisor for Kidney Research UK.

Munsur is a Council Member of the City of London Corporation and a film producer. He also serves on the board of Barbican Centre, City of London Finance, City Police Authority.

He graduated with honours in 2004 in BA Film and Broadcast productions and produced promos to feature films. His recent film ‘Shongram’ (Struggle), a romantic drama set during the independence struggle of Bangladesh was released in UK theatres in 2019.

Munsur has founded the ‘Mela in the City,’ ‘The Limelight Film Awards’ and ‘The London Bengali Film Festival.’ He regularly appears on TV, Radio sharing his journey.
munsur.co.uk

Muzahid has been a trail blazer from an early age. He was recognised by HM Queen Elizabeth II as a young achiever (1998) and the British Prime Minister in (2000) for services to his community.
He has had a career in the third, public and private sector. He is Managing Director of Janala Ventura and Deputy CEO of Pathfinder. He has published his first book, The Gift of Giving.
Muzahid sits on several local, national boards is part of the climate reality leadership corps. In May 2021 he was made a Deputy Lieutenant for Greater Manchester.

Poppy Jaman OBE is a global voice of authority on workplace mental health, CEO of the City Mental Health Alliance, Found of Re-Balance and Trustee at the Centre for Mental Health. In 2018, Poppy was awarded an OBE in recognition of her services to people with mental health issues and received an honorary doctorate from the University of Gloucestershire. In 2019 she won Woman of The Year at the GG2 Culture & Diversity Leadership Awards and was named a Game Changer in the FT women of 2019 list. Poppy also founded Mental Health First Aid England and served two terms on the PHE Advisory Board.

As Head of Strategic Projects and Partnerships at the University of Birmingham, I work with academics, researchers, industry and professional services to develop regionally led strategic opportunities leading to research innovation, business support and product development and processes. Over the last 20 years I have worked within further education and various government agencies on policy, project management and change transformation.
Outside of my professional career, I am first generation Bangladeshi, who has maximised every opportunity to overcome barriers to be in a position support and advocate on behalf of others.

Shale Ahmed was Born and raised in Lozells. He is the founding Project Director at Aspire and Succeed; a not-for-profit community organisation established in 2008. He has over 20 years’ experience in the youth and community sector. Currently leading a health inequalities project within inner city Birmingham, working with diverse communities on tackling the social determinants of poor health.
He is a board member of Nowka Bais CIC helping deliver one of UKs largest Bangladeshi festivals and encouraging more BAME communities to use the waterways. He has served on various boards in the region advising on community engagement and health.

Tauhid qualified as a solicitor in the UK where he practised immigration law and headed the immigration team of a large legal aid law firm in Birmingham. From 2001-2007 he was the Legal and Policy Director of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI), one of the UK’s leading immigration campaign organisations. He is currently Officer in Charge at the UN Migration Agency’s (IOM’s) UK office. He is from Birmingham, where he was Chair of the Bangladeshi Youth Forum, and currently lives in Tower Hamlets, London with his wife, who is a local teacher, and their 13 year-old daughter.