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A 100-year-old Bengali from Great Britain who raised around সাড়ে 4.5 million for the Coronavirus Fund on foot during the month of Ramadan has been honored with the Queen’s Honor.
Dabirul Islam Chowdhury, a resident of the Bow area in East London, has been awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
“I consider myself extremely fortunate to have received this rare honor,” Mr. Chowdhury said. “From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank and appreciate everyone.”
Every year, Queen Elizabeth’s birthday is celebrated with a special tribute to those who have played an important role in British society.
Although the award was scheduled to be announced in June this year, it was postponed due to the coronavirus epidemic to include healthcare workers, financiers and volunteers.
During the entire month of Ramadan, Dabirul Islam Chowdhury used to fast and walk 960 times in the 80-meter garden behind his house every day.
Its aim was to raise funds to help people affected by the coronavirus in Bangladesh, Great Britain and some other countries.
Retired British Army Captain Tom Moore was encouraged to see how he raised around £ 3.5 million for healthcare workers as he walked in the garden of his home. Chowdhury.
Over the course of Roger’s month, he collected a total of £ 420,000 on foot in the same way.
Of this, £ 118,000 went to the NHS Department of Health. The rest of the money was donated to 30 charities in 52 countries.
“She is a source of inspiration for all of us,” said Sir Kier Sturmer, leader of the opposition Labor Party, praising Chowdhury’s efforts.
‘This recognition of the immigrant society’
In an interview with BBC Bangla, Dabirul Islam Chowdhury said that he was receiving the OBE medal on behalf of Bengali society, the elderly and the immigrant community in Britain.
He said he was surprised to receive a letter from the Queen’s office a couple of weeks ago receiving the OBE medal.
“When we do a good deed, we don’t think of any special achievements,” he said, “but I am very happy for this recognition.”
He also said that the medal would not change the normal course of his life. However, he said that he would be happy only if his work encouraged someone else.
He hopes that after receiving the Queen’s Medal, people’s support for the charities with which he is associated will increase.
His son Atiq Chowdhury said that Dabirul Islam Chowdhury was associated with a charity called the Bangla Women’s Association in Dirai, Sylhet, his birthplace.
Atiq Chowdhury said his father was in “self-isolation” at the time of the epidemic because he was elderly.
As a result, you cannot know anyone other than yourself and a service worker.
“All I did to say celebration was talk to him on the phone from where the family is, congratulating him.”
Born in Sylhet in Karma Billet
Dabirul Islam Chowdhury was born in 1920 in Dirai, Sylhet. He emigrated to Great Britain in 1958 hoping to obtain a higher education in English literature. He then lived in the city of St. Albans and gained popularity there as a community leader.
He also raised money during the Bangladesh War of Independence in 1971.
Source: BBC
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