This is a translation version of the original video documentary which was than transcribed and translated from Bengali to English. A book with the title of History of Bangladeshis in Greater Manchester has been published and it will be distributed to the libraries, schools and universities. The interview took place on 4 November 2007, so information about his personal family information may have been changed.
8.41 Alhaj Mokbul Ali
8.41.1 Life in Bangladesh: Alhaj Mokbul Ali was born in 1937 in the Singerwali village of Bishwanath. His Late father’s name is Mr Haji Nasib Ali and his Late Mother Haji Apjan Bibi. Mr Haji Mokbul Ali had 5 brothers and sister and he was the third of them.
His father was a business man and he owned a Cloth Store and a Grocery shop in his local Village Market. The business used to run smoothly as well. That time people used to follow their belief in culture and were quite wealthy in that village. Any issues with the village were dealt by meeting in the village’s cultural meeting place. At present people do not follow these cultures as the tradition fades away with time and hence stays curved in history.
Mr Haji Mokbul Ali completed his primary school in local village and continued secondary education till the 8th grade. After that he spent the rest of his time helping his father with his farming in the village until he came to the UK.
8.41.2 Journey to the UK & Immigration:
His cousin Mr Montaj Ali was living in the UK and invited Mr Haji Mokbul Ali to come to the UK. Mr Haji Mokbul Ali’s younger brother Mr Mortoj Ali and his Uncle Sowab Ali came to the UK before he did in 1969.
One of Mr Haji Mokbul Ali‘s friend was the first to know that British High Commission in Dhaka was offering Boucher’s. After knowing this, Mr Haji Mokbul Ali contacted Mr Moboshir Khan from another village close to his and Mr Moboshir Khan helped him in filling the form in the Boucher. After receiving the Boucher from the BHC, Dhaka, he prepared his passport though a travel agency in Sylhet.
He then submitted his Boucher and passport to BHC, Dhaka and after few days he was invited for an interview and he went to the interview with Mr Mubarak Ali in Dhaka. He was very amused when he got the Visa. He made his ticket from the same travel agency with 160000 rupees and travel from Sylhet to Dhaka to Karachi and Finally in Heathrow Airport.
When all the preparation for coming to Britain was done, his parents were a bit worried about him. Even though he was really happy for coming to the UK, he was also feeling very sad leaving his relatives and friends behind. He also mentioned that he would sometimes shed tears when the thought of leaving his Family came across his mind.
He started worrying about his parents as soon as he got on the plane and he became frustrated again. He was feeling very sad about the fact that he was leaving his Birthplace and all his family and friends and was setting off to an unknown country with different environment than his own country.
His younger brother Mortuj Ali was waiting for him at Heathrow airport. He hugged his brother as soon as he met him at the airport. He went straight to his brother’s place from Heathrow airport. There were already about 7/8 people living at that home when he went to stay at his brothers place. The price for staying was 15 shillings per double bed and 10 shillings per single bed and everybody used to have lunch at dinner together. That time there was no Bengali or Pakistani Grocery Shop in Oldham. The foods such as rice, pulse, cooking oil, vegetables, meat, etc was used to arrive through delivery. They used to shop once a week. Occasionally they used to buy chicken from the farm and they also used to buy deer meat and salmon from English Grocery Shops.
There didn’t used to be central heating in their home and the toilet was located outside the house and they used to feel very uncomfortable going to the toilet during the night. The house was heated up using charcoals. There wasn’t any system for hot water so they had to use kettle to heat the water for their use. They used to go to public bath and the price was 2 shillings per person and there were usually a long queue and at times they would have to wait hours in the queue. There wasn’t any mosque that time in the area. The first mosque in Oldham was built in 10 Churchill Street, Glodwick, in Oldham.
8.41.3 Employment:
After coming to the UK he started looking for a job. Failing to find a job after searching for 4-5 months, he started claiming jobseekers allowance. He used to get £2.50 every week. His first job in the UK was in Lili Mill Factory He used to work 42 hours a week and was paid 11 pounds per week for his job. His job started from 6am in the morning till 2pm in the afternoon and in some weeks his job was from 2pm till 10pm. He worked there for about 7-8 years.
He then started working at Dee Mill Ltd. His weekly wages was 60 pounds. He worked there about five years. He then started working at Ash spinning mill. His wages was 100 pounds per week. He worked there for about 3 years. He then worked at Kent Mill in Oldham and his weekly wages there was 120/130 pounds and he worked there for another 5 years. He then started working in Manor Mill in Oldham. He working there for 5/6 years as well and his wages were 160/170 pounds per week.
The factory was closed in 1991 and all the workers in that factory received 600 pounds for losing their jobs. While working in the factory he was often attacked by thugs of white origin. So they had to stay in groups to avoid being a victim of them.
While working in factory, he used to have lunch in canteen and during the night shift he used to bring packed lunch from home. He used to use the microwave oven in the canteen to heat the food. He had good relationships with all his colleagues and his colleagues always helped him if he was in any trouble in the factory.
He didn’t have any work experience before he started working in factory. So he took training for 2 weeks before getting the job. British women in the factory used to help him a lot.
8.41.4 Housing:
In 1966 he started living in 70 Middleton Road in Oldham and he bought the 2 bedroom house for just 70 pounds that time. After 2 years he sold the house for the same price and in 1968 he bought a two bedroom house with Mr Abbas Ali in 39 Benson Street in Oldham.
After one and half years he sold his partnership of the house to Abbas Ali in 1970 and bought a 2 bedroom house in 13 Tin Street in Oldham for 325 pounds. In 1971 he bought a 2 bedroom house for about 500pounds in 225 Middleton Road, Oldham. In 1978 the house was demolished so he bought a two bedroom house in 39 Marmaduke Street and stayed there for about 18 years and then that house was also demolished by the council. He bought a four bedroom house in 16 Martha Street and he’s living there in present.
8.41.5 Social & Family Life:
In 1968 the first Social Centre was opened in Oldham called ‘Pakistan Welfare Association’ and its director was Mr Mofojjul Husain and Manchester’s Mr Abdul Motin. He started working in the foundation ever since it was founded. When the battle between India-Pakistan Started in 1966, he provided some financial help for Pakistan and He always used to attend the social meetings in time. After Bangladesh won the war in 1971, an organisation called Awami League was founded in Oldham and he was the main founder of the organisation.
Oldham Bangladesh association was founded in 1971 during June. He participated in several activities in this organisation. Besides that he provided a lot of financial support for the development of Central Mosque in Oldham and he was a respected Social Worker in Oldham.
He got married in 1968 and he brought his wife to the UK in 1968. He has 2 sons and 1 daughter. Among his 6 brothers and 2 sisters, 3 brothers and 2 sisters have passed away. His other brother is dwelling in America. He has lots of close relative in Bangladesh. He visits Bangladesh to meet his relatives every 1 or 2 years and he also helps them by providing financial support.
His wife performed hajj in 1994 and he performed another Hajj on behalf of his brother in 1996. He went to see his brother Nur Alahi and his family in 2001 in America. His brother Nur Alahi was a freedom fighter who fought during the war in Bangladesh.
In 2002 he started to receive pension. His elder son Joynal Abedin gained a higher education in Accountancy and then founded the Indigo Restaurant. His second son Jahangir Alam started working at his brother’s restaurant after finishing college. His daughter completed college and is currently looking after her father and mother.
8.41.6 Independence of Bangladesh:
While reminiscing about the Bangladesh independence, he remembered in 1971 when Sheikh Mujibur Rahman made his huge Conference in the Field of Red course he was listening to the radio at a coffee bar in Marker Street, Oldham. After hearing the news, his close friend Kacha Miah said that a scary time is drawing near and Bangladesh had a little chance of winning.
In 1971 in 25 March when the Pakistani Army attacked the Bangladesh, War was declared on 26th March and His friend made a speech about the war in Awomiligue organisation in Oldham, and through the organisation he helped gathering funds for Bangladesh war and provided financial support even though he couldn’t participate in the war as a freedom fighter and due to his commitment in the support for war, he self-claimed himself a Foreign Freedom fighter.
8.41.7 Conclusion:
Finally Mr Haji Mokbul Ali says that coming to the UK has given his children the opportunity to gain education. He was a successful man and spent 30-32 years working. When visiting Bangladesh he was also involved in his father’s business. Bangladeshi people are following the cultural system and maintaining education and are making commitment to the society. He stayed busy making commitment to the society and Helping the Community and Hopes that our future generation will be successful in education and life.
