Mustaq Ahmed will take you through a fascinating walk with information and images of Bengali lascars footprints in Tower Hamlets.
This guided walk explores the legacies of South Asian lascar activists and community organisers in East London during the 1930s and 1940s. Beginning at East London Academy and ending at 13 Sandy Row, the walk traces the lives and political work of Ayub Ali Master, Aftab Ali, Abdul Majid Qureshi and Surret Ally — pioneering figures who supported seafarers, challenged racism and colonial exploitation, and helped build some of the earliest Bengali and South Asian political networks in Britain. Through stories of cafés, boarding houses and organising spaces, participants will uncover hidden histories of anti-colonial activism, migration and solidarity in the East End, and reflect on how these histories continue to shape East London today.
Meeting Point King’s Hall (London Enterprise Academy), Commercial Road, E1 1RD
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Mustaq Ahmed is a British Bangladeshi. He has a strong interest in Bangladeshi heritage and history. Having lived in Tower Hamlets for most of his life, he has developed a deep connection to the borough and its rich multicultural past. He enjoys researching local history, particularly in uncovering histories of migration, anti-colonial activism, and community organising in the East End.
Part of South Asian Heritage Month