Wali Tasar Uddin

Wali Tasar Uddin, MBE (Bengali: ওয়ালি তাসার উদ্দিন; born 17 April 1952) is a Bangladeshi-born British entrepreneur, restaurateur, community leader and humanitarian.

Wali Tasar Uddin

MBE
ওয়ালি তাসার উদ্দিন
Uddin in 2007
Born (1952-04-17) 17 April 1952
Moulvibazar, Sylhet District, East Bengal, Pakistan (now Bangladesh)
NationalityBangladeshi
CitizenshipBritish
OccupationEntrepreneur, restaurateur, community leader, humanitarian
StyleBangladeshi/Indian cuisine
Spouse(s)Syeda Uddin (married 1975–present)
Children5
RelativesFoysol Choudhury (nephew)

Early life

Uddin was born on 17 April 1952 in Moulvibazar, Sylhet District, East Bengal, Pakistan (now Bangladesh). He completed his secondary education at Moulvibazar Government High School. In 1967, at the age of 15, he moved to the United Kingdom, where he earned a Higher National Certificate (HNC) from Putney College of Further Education and began to work in restaurants in London. In 1975, he married Sydea, and the following year they moved to Edinburgh, Scotland.[1][2]

Community work

Uddin has received many awards for his contribution and work in the communities. In 1984, he was appointed as the Justice of the peace, the first Bangladeshi to hold the post, and from 1993 to 1997 he became the first Bangladeshi to be a member of the Honorary Consul in Scotland.[3]

Business career

Uddin is also notable for being successful in the Indian restaurant industry in Scotland, most notably for owning the "Britannia Spice" restaurant, which has received over 10 awards for being one of the top restaurants in Scotland. His son now runs the "Verandah on Haymarket", which has been frequented by A-list celebrities, including Clint Eastwood and Sir Cliff Richard.[4] He also has long chain of Indian restaurant companies throughout the United Kingdom, and is the chairman of the Universal Koba Corporation Limited.[5]

Other work

Uddin is the current chairman of the British-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce, which was created in 1991. The Chamber has operated as a networking business hub for the British Bangladeshi community who have British business or interests in Bangladesh. The organisation has held a number of trade and investment meetings with such as the Home Secretary and the then Prime Minister of Bangladesh.[6]

Awards, recognition and honours

In 1995, Uddin was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1995 New Year Honours for his services to race relations.[1][7]

In 2007, Uddin received an honorary doctorate from Heriot-Watt University.[8]

Personal life

Uddin is married to Syeda, and has five children.[1] Uddin's nephew is businessman Foysol Choudhury.[9]

See also

References
  1. "Dr Wali Tasar Uddin MBE, JP, FRSA, D.Litt". Restaurant Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 19 February 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2008.
  2. Debrett's People of Today 2016. Debrett's. 2016 – via Credo Reference.
  3. "Dr. Wali Tasar Uddin, MBE, DBA, JP". British Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce. Archived from the original on 18 November 2008. Retrieved 13 December 2008.
  4. "Britannia Spice Awards". Britannia Spice. Retrieved 13 December 2008.
  5. "Founding members, advisors and patrons". European Bangladesh Federation Commerce and Industry. Retrieved 13 December 2008. Wali Tasar Uddin
  6. "Wali Tasar Uddin". Bangladesh-British Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved 13 December 2008.
  7. "Wali Tasar Uddin". Honorary Members. BritBangla. Retrieved 13 December 2008.
  8. "Professor [sic] John Archer — A Tribute". Annual Review 2007 : Principal's Review. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  9. Ahmed, Syed Shah Salim (14 November 2013). "Foysol Choudhury Re-elected Chair for Edinburgh & Lothian Regional Race Equality Council". GBNews24.com. Retrieved 1 January 2015.

Further reading
  • Sayeed, A. F. M. (2011). Wali Uddin, blessed son of two nations: the biography of a Bangladeshi pioneer in Scotland. Sylhet: Sadisami Prokashoni. OCLC 824686685.
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