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Councillor Biography Councillor Muhammad Harun Miah Deputy Mayor

Party: Liberal Democrat

Ward: Langney

Address: 120 Larkspur Drive, , BN23 8EH

Deputy Mayoress: Mrs Razia Begum Miah

Consort: Muhammad Rajoo Ahmed Haroon

Early Life

Councillor Miah came to England as a young boy with his parents and brothers in the late 1960’s. However, his parents were forced to leave him to look after his six year old brother and return to Bangladesh in 1970 when the East Pakistan Civil war erupted.

Councillor Miah was educated in London where he got his first opportunity to experience cultural diversity. He was offered the role of secretary for a small NGO in East London, helping to provide welfare services to the population in the East End of London.

In 1978, he returned to an independent Bangladesh, where he got married to Razia. Two years later, their first daughter was born in London, and before the birth of their son, the young family chose Eastbourne’s picturesque hills and pleasant coastline to settle and call home.

Councillor Miah worked as a translator, chef, manager and proprietor in Indian restaurants in Sussex for 22 years. He made a career change and has been a private hire taxi driver since 2004.

Entertainment

Councillor Miah is a very creative individual. He can play the Harmonium (Indian Pump Organ), Bamboo Flute and Thabla (Indian Drums). He writes Bengali lyrics and music.

He has a keen interest in making films and has acted in locally produced Bengali movie productions that have gone on to take national fame amongst the Bangladeshi community. He has also written and directed other Bengali short films.

Through the SBA (Shunar Bangla Association), Councillor Miah has also provided many entertaining moments on the stage as an actor, musician, and a speech maker.

Community Work

Councillor Miah’s most notable work has been done through the SBA, a registered charity in Eastbourne, which he foundered in 1987.

He felt there was an urgent need for representing and, more importantly, acting for the Bangladeshi community in Sussex. The SBA provided education, training, welfare support and recreational facilities for the Bangladeshi community. For example, he helped the local Indian-Chinese community take food hygiene courses through Sussex Downs College (then ECAT) for 10 consecutive years.

Councillor Miah’s work as a fundraiser has also taken him beyond the realms of focused ethnic minorities work. He raised money for Cancer Research, Children with Leukaemia, flood relief for Hurricane Katrina and for the floods that devastated Bangladesh, the Tsunami in Sri Lanka and Thailand, as well as for the catastrophic earthquakes that occurred in Turkey a few years ago.

He has always taken a keen interest in his children’s education and has lectured in various primary schools in , introducing young children to the culture and music of Bangladesh, as well as answering questions about Islamic religion.

Councillor Miah began campaigning for cultural diversity in Eastbourne through the Eastbourne Association of Voluntary Services and Eastbourne Cultural Community Network in 2004. He also worked with the Chinese Association, the South African Association and the Women’s Royal Voluntary Services, EAVS and ECCN. Through this work, he met Stephen Lloyd, Parliamentary Spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats in 2003.

Councillor Miah was invited to become a local Councillor by Mr Stephen Lloyd in 2007, with the support of the local residents which he accepted. He was given the role of Deputy Mayor for the first time in the same month of his successful election in May 2007. He was the first Councillor in Sussex of Asian descent.

Councillor Muhammed Harun Miah is delighted and honoured to take on the role of Deputy Mayor of Eastbourne once again, and is looking forward to fulfilling civic duties.

Mayor’s Office, 1 Grove Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 4TW Tel: +44(0)1323 415020 Fax: +44(0)1323 415130 Minicom: +44(0)1323 415111 DX6921 Eastbourne Email: [email protected] Web: www.eastbourne.gov.uk/mayor