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Profile
CURRENT POSITIONS
- Member of Muslim Council of Britain’s Central Working Committee
- Spokesperson for the Islamic Society of Britain and member of its national consultative body
- Chair and Director of Communities in Action
- Member of Haringey borough and Hornsey and Wood Green constituency Liberal Democrat Executives
- Hornsey and Wood Green Lib Dem Equal opportunities officer
- Member of the steering group for The London Faith Forum
MEDIA EXPERIENCE
- I am a broadcaster and specialist production consultant. I have worked with a number of radio, TV and newspaper agencies at both professional and political levels.
- I have written about Muslims in Britain, integration, Islam and political issues in the Guardian, the Times, the Asian Times and Islam on Line. I write regular comment pieces for the Evening Standard. I also have a blog page on the Guardian’s ‘Comment is Free’ website.
- I have been a commentator on social, political and religious issues on BBC, ITV, Channel 4, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, SKY, German, Finnish, French and Nigerian TV.
In addition I have also been a presenter and production consultant on the following programmes:
| Position | Media | Date |
| Presenter | Islam Channel | June 2005 - Present |
| Presenter | Channel S | Sept 2004 - Present |
| Production Consultant | Channel 4 | 2003 - Present |
| Production Consultant | Universal Studios | September 2005 |
| Presented J’ Accuse | Channel 4 | March 2003 |
| Presenter | Ramadan Radio | 1993 - Present |
LANGUAGES
- English
- Bengali
- Urdu
- Hindi
- Basic Arabic
PARTY EXPERIENCE
- I stood in the local council elections in 2006 in Haringey
- I have organized and led local campaigns on various issues including the environment, education, council tax, high rise buildings, fly tipping, litter on the street, facilities for young people and planning applications.
- I have campaigned with Liberal Democrats against the Iraq invasion, student grants abolition and the genocides in Bosnia and Rwanda.
PUBLIC SPEAKING
Regularly I am invited to speak on culture, religion, politics and society in the UK and abroad. Recent engagements include -
- US Embassy - “Young Muslims between rejection and extremism: causes and solutions” - January 2007
- The Treasury - “Are Multi-Faith celebrations the way forward?” – 2006
- The Liverpool Anglican Cathedral - “One World Festival” 2006
- The Crown Prosecution Service - Religion and Spirituality - 2006
- The British Council UK, Switzerland and Nigeria - Muslims in Britain
- Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) - “Combating Terrorism” - 2005
- The Oxford Union Debate - “Is Islam Compatible with Democracy?” - 2004
- St Ethelburger Centre for Peace and Reconciliation - “Peace in the world” 2003
- International speaking tours covering Sweden, Switzerland, Romania, France, Turkey, Sudan, Nigeria and the USA.
VOLUNTEER WORK
- Imam – I lead Friday prayers in 4 mosques in 4 London boroughs on a monthly rotation
- I work in various communities as a mentor for young people
- As a trained counsellor I support people with relationship and personal difficulties
FORMER POSITIONS
- Vice Chair of the London Civic Forum
- Board Member of Vision for London
- Member of Advisory board for Faith in London and Faith in the Future
- Secretary to ‘Parents against Drug Abuse’ project
- Member of the management committee for ‘Improving School Pupil Attendance’ project
INTERESTS AND ACTIVITIES
- I enjoy learning about new cultures and world food
- I play badminton
- I read extensively in my free time, particularly on history, society and politics
Background
My parents came to the UK in the early 1950s as economic migrants. When my father arrived he did not speak English and he had never been outside his own home town before. It was a shock for him to come to London, one of the most diverse cities in the world. He hoped to stay for a few years, earn enough money to return to Bangladesh and set up a business. It is 2007 and he is still here, the majority of his children and all his grandchildren were born in the UK. Britain and London has become their home.
Growing up in East London had its challenges. While we had some very friendly and welcoming neighbours, we also encountered much hostility. I still remember how our kitchen windows used to get smashed by bricks and stones. I remember when my father’s car windscreen was shattered while I was sitting on the passenger seat, the glass falling all over my face, cutting my skin and making me bleed.
My father decided to move us back to Bangladesh to escape this hostility. I was sent to school there, but while I was studying hard to gain a good education, in my mind I was longing to come back to our home in London. We returned to the UK after a few years. I was determined to study further so I went to college and then university to complete post graduate studies. I studied politics, Arabic and counselling and successfully completed an MA from Birkbeck College, London.
I went on to work as a youth and community development worker, teacher at a supplementary school, and community organiser. For the last 6 years I have been working as a freelance consultant specialising in cultural relations and media.
My career is a natural progression from my early experiences. I could have become a destructive and embittered young man who responds to life with anger and violence. I have chosen none of these things. I have chosen to transfer my life experiences into positive, constructive work that benefits not only individuals but all communities. I am a passionate advocate for greater understanding, acceptance and community cohesion in all aspects of my life. I believe my experiences give me a unique ability to relate to London’s marginalised individuals and reconnect them with the mainstream.
Tags: birkbeck college london, counselling, east london, economic migrants, freelance consultant, hostility, life experiences, post graduate studies, uk britainSearch
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about
Ajmal Masroor is director of Communities in Action. He provides consultancy and support to media and various government agencies on Muslim issues.
He is a broadcaster and regular contributor on national radio and TV programmes, and presents his own programme on the Islam Channel and Channel S.
Ajmal has studied in Islamic institutions in Bangladesh, UK and Syria, and now leads Friday prayers in rotation in four Mosques across London.
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