Bradford is set to make history by becoming the first city in the UK to establish a permanent memorial for the Rohingya community, recognising the genocide they have endured. The initiative is being spearheaded by Newcastle Councillor and human rights activist, Habib Rahman, in collaboration with the British Rohingya Community (BRC) and the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK). This landmark project aims to honour the resilience of the Rohingya people while raising awareness of their ongoing plight.
The Rohingya, a predominantly Muslim ethnic group from Rakhine State, Myanmar, have faced systemic persecution for decades. Stripped of citizenship under Myanmar’s 1982 Citizenship Law, they have been subjected to discrimination, forced displacement, and violence.
The crisis escalated in August 2017 when Myanmar’s military launched a brutal crackdown, forcing approximately 800,000 Rohingya to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh. Survivors recounted mass killings, sexual violence, and village destruction, actions widely recognised as genocide by international organisations, including the United Nations.
Currently, over 1 million Rohingya refugees reside in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, in dire conditions, facing limited access to education, healthcare, and employment. Despite international aid efforts, the Rohingya remain stateless and vulnerable.
Between 2008 and 2010, Bradford welcomed around 100 Rohingya refugees under the Gateway Protection Programme (GPP), becoming the first UK city to provide them with a safe home. Over the years, the community has grown, integrating into Bradford’s diverse society while maintaining their cultural identity. The city’s role in resettling Rohingya refugees has made it the most fitting location for the UK’s first memorial dedicated to the community.
Independent Cllr Habib Rahman (Newcastle) has been a steadfast advocate for the Rohingya people. In 2017, he founded Rohingya Action North East (RANE), a grassroots organisation that has evolved into a political lobbying group raising awareness, fundraising, and delivering aid missions to refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar.
Under Rahman’s leadership, RANE has worked with humanitarian organisations to:
• Establish a maternity clinic in Rohingya refugee camps.
• Provide educational support for young women.
• Deliver aid during Ramadan and winter appeals.
• Respond to emergency crises, such as floods and harsh winters.
Rahman has also led awareness campaigns, holding educational events during Holocaust Memorial Month, Refugee Week, and Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day (25 August ). His work extends internationally, having spoken at events in Italy and elsewhere to highlight the crisis.
Recognising the importance of preserving the history of the Rohingya people, Cllr Rahman initiated discussions with Bradford City Council to establish a memorial. After years of advocacy, Rahman, alongside BRC Chair Nur Huda and General Secretary Nijam Uddin, secured council approval for the project in 2023.
A public consultation took place on Tuesday, 11 February 2025, where members of the Rohingya community, human rights activists, and the public had the opportunity to voice their support and shape the vision of the memorial.
Cllr Rahman describes this as a pivotal moment in British history: “Bradford and the UK are on the verge of making history. This memorial will serve as a lasting reminder that we stand united against all forms of oppression and genocide. It will be a testament to the Rohingya’s struggle, a reminder of the genocide they have faced, and a call to the world to recognise, to act, and to ensure no one is denied their dignity and rights again.”
He added, “I am immensely proud to have led this effort alongside the British Rohingya Community (BRC), the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK), and, of course, Bradford Council. Bradford is the right city for this memorial as it was the first to welcome Rohingya refugees. We are working toward unveiling the memorial on 25 August 2025.”
The establishment of the UK’s first Rohingya memorial in Bradford represents a significant step in acknowledging the suffering of the Rohingya people while educating future generations about their history. It will stand as a powerful symbol of the UK’s commitment to justice, remembrance, and solidarity with the world’s most persecuted communities.
Jasmin Akter a Rohingya refugee who resettled in Bradford and is an award-winning football and cricket coach told Asian Standard: “I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to my role model, Habib Rahman, for his unwavering support of both me and the Rohingya people. His leadership in pursuing this memorial is truly commendable.
Bradford has been my sanctuary and home since 2009, and I am deeply grateful to Bradford Council for approving this memorial. Bradford is the right city for it—being the only one to open its doors to the Rohingya people.
Born in the world’s largest refugee camp, Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh, I spent my first seven years as a Rohingya refugee, denied every basic human right. Life felt like a cage, filled with discrimination and hardship. Bradford, however, has given me love, opportunities, and a place to call home, I am a proud Bradfordian
“At the consultation meeting held in the Council chamber, I was deeply moved to witness the widespread support for the Rohingya Memorial Stone. I cannot thank the Council, its staff, and the councillors enough for their solidarity. Placed at the heart of the Rohingya community in Bradford, this memorial will stand as a powerful symbol of remembrance and resilience.”
“As a Rohingya woman who firmly believes in gender equality, this memorial holds immense significance. It stands as a tribute to the countless Rohingya women who have endured unimaginable suffering—those who have been raped, murdered, tortured, and abused. This stone will serve as a reminder of their pain, their strength, and our collective commitment to justice and remembrance.”
Tun Khin, President of Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK) said: “In Bradford,
Rohingya have been given a safe place to live, free and with dignity, that we never experienced back home in Burma. As a people experiencing genocide, where every member of the community has lost family members and friends, it is hard to describe just how much this memorial means to us. We are very grateful, and hope that one day they can be similar memorials in Burma. This is an important recognition of the genocide against Rohingya by the Burmese military in 2017, and for more than 1 million Rohingya refugees now in Bangladesh. At Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK we will continue to seek justice through any means possible, including our universal jurisdiction case in Argentina seeking arrest warrants for leaders of the Burmese military. We are proud to support this important memorial along with BRC and we thank the Bradford Council and RANE for making this possible.”
Nijam Uddin, General Secretary of the British Rohingya Community (BRC), remarked:
“Bradford has been the first place where we, as Rohingya, have truly felt at home and safe. This city welcomed us when we had nowhere else to go, and now, it has given us the opportunity to cement our identity—something that was systematically erased in Myanmar. Working hand-in-hand with Bradford City Council, we have turned this vision into reality, and I extend our heartfelt thanks to our Rohingya community, the council, BROUK, and RANE for their unwavering support. This memorial is not just a tribute to our past but a beacon of hope for future generations, ensuring they remain connected to their heritage.”
Nur Huda, Chair of the BRC, added: “As the leading voice of the Rohingya community in Bradford, I can proudly say that our close collaboration with the council has been crucial in bringing this memorial to life. We are deeply grateful to our community, Bradford City Council, BROUK, and RANE for their vital contributions. This memorial is more than stone and inscription; it is a declaration that we belong, that our history will not be forgotten, and that our children will grow up knowing who they are. Bradford has given us a home, and through this memorial, it is allowing us to share our story with the world and keeps our hope of justice alive.”
Bradford Council have been approached for a comment.
