Labour’s Forhad Hussain becomes first Bengali mayor of Newham

A Bangladeshi-origin Labour politician has become the new mayor of Newham, a London borough that is home to a sizeable population of migrants, including Bengalis.

Voting was held on Thursday across London’s 32 borough councils, with five councils electing mayors and councillors through direct voting.

With his victory, Forhad is now the only Bengali mayor elected through a mainstream political party in Britain.

The first Bengali mayor in the UK was Tower Hamlets Mayor Lutfur Rahman, who was elected as an independent candidate.

Lutfur is contesting again this year to retain the Tower Hamlets mayoralty, though results there have yet to be announced.

He is facing Labour candidate Sirajul Islam, independent candidate Jami Ali and Liberal Democrat candidate Abdul Hannan.

In Newham, Labour’s Forhad secured 25,538 votes, defeating independent candidate Mehmood Mirza, who received 20,234 votes.

Following his victory, Forhad said: “This is the beginning of a new chapter for the borough. Together we will build a Newham where every resident will be proud to call home. It is the honour of my life to be elected Mayor of Newham, the borough that made me.”

Newham is one of London’s most diverse boroughs, home to large minority ethnic communities from Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Indian, Sri Lankan and Somali backgrounds.

Since the borough council was formed in 1964, Labour candidates have won and governed the council in most elections.

The borough currently has 66 councillors, including several of Bangladeshi origin.

Around 15,000 British-Bangladeshi voters live in Newham.

A resident of Newham, Forhad served as a Labour councillor in Plaistow North for nearly eight years, during which he assumed the role of cabinet member for commercial opportunities and later for crime and anti-social behaviour.

He studied at a local school before completing his A-levels at Newvic College and later earned a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Imperial College London.

He has worked with the NHS, in education, local government and several charities.

Forhad currently works as a principal consultant on London’s Lower Thames Crossing tunnel project.

In his spare time, he coaches grassroots cricket as an ECB Level Two coach.