Husna Ara Begum Matin (Tower Hamlets, UK)
Who I am
Husna Ara Begum is an interesting case study because of her unique story of travel and because she represents a privileged section of Bengali society compared to how many people imagine Bengali migrants. Her early experiences also reflect the problems faced by Bengali migrants more generally, and she offers interesting clues to help us understand the development of the local community. She has been chosen from the interviews we carried out in Tower Hamlets, where most of her family still live and work, and she has been actively involved in establishing the Bengali presence in this area.
Husna Ara Begum is a grandmother in her 60s. She arrived in the UK with her husband in the early 1970s, before many Bengali women had migrated.
She has five daughters and a large extended family in the UK. Her husband died of a heart attack in 1995. She is actively involved in local community organisations, including Jagonari, a women's organisation, and the Nirmul Committee, a voluntary organisation.
