| AdminHistory | The Kobi Nazrul Centre, founded in 1982, is the Council's flagship Bengali arts centre. It is close to the Brick Lane and Spitalfields areas, home to the largest Bengali community in Britain.
It is named after Kobi Nazrul Islam, national poet of Bangladesh. He was jailed by the British during the campaign for Indian independence. As a writer and humanist, he worked against sectarianism and colonialism, and supported women's rights.
The Centre makes an active commitment to local participation in the arts is reflected in its work with groups and individuals from the local Bengali community via modern and traditional cultural initiatives. This policy underpins the promotion of educational and community development, as well as performing and exhibiting. The Centre has become a base for a wide range of learning ventures; participation and study at a high level. Its facilities also include spaces available for meetings; events and hire.
The Centre continues to campaign against deprivation among local Bengalis. This work is related to how the London Borough of Tower Hamlets reflects the national trend of Bangladeshis being likelier to live-in low-income households. ( See LBTH Borough Profile 2018: https://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgnl/community_and_living/borough_statistics/Borough_profile.aspx ).
Sources consulted include:
Kobi Nazrul Centre website;
Swadhinata Trust website;
" Exploring Banglatown and The Bengali East End" (2004), a leaflet promoting local walking tours, produced by the Swadhinata Trust and LBTH ( Leisure and Culture). |
| CustodialHistory | These records were collected as part of a Bengali Collections Development project by Shahera Begum, Heritage Trainee during 2011. She also interviewed individuals and created oral histories, see collection ref: O/BEE and brochure 'The Bengali East End: Histories of Life and Work in Tower Hamlets'. Visit https://www.ideastore.co.uk/local-history-online-oral-history-bengali-east-end
This material significantly broadened the range of collections from and about the Bengali community in Tower Hamlets. If you would like to add further material to our collections please contact us. |