Local Assembly Member raises campaign for Bangla signage at Whitechapel Station with TfL Commissioner

Wednesday 22nd September 2021 06:01 EDT
 

Local London Assembly Member, Unmesh Desai AM, has asked the TfL Commissioner, Andy Byford, to keep him updated on discussions surrounding the potential installation of Bangla signage at Whitechapel Station. This comes after the Commissioner said he would ask internally about the idea after Mr Desai highlighted the growing local campaign behind it at the last London Assembly Transport Plenary meeting.

 

Mr Desai recently visited the newly upgraded Whitechapel Station entrance and ticket hall, which now offers step-free access to platforms ahead of the launch of the Elizabeth Line next year.

 

Southall Station in Ealing, which has also recently been revamped, has bi-lingual signage to reflect the history of the local Punjabi community.

 

In a letter to the TfL Commissioner, Mr Desai said replicating this at Whitechapel for the British Bangladeshi community would be the “cherry on top” of the improvements that have been made to the station and the “perfect way” to mark fifty years of Bangladesh Independence ahead of ‘Victory Day’ on 16th December.

 

In conjunction with the National Portrait Gallery, Tower Hamlets Council recently supported the installation of a giant illuminated sculpture titled ‘BANGLA’ at Whitechapel Idea Store, designed by the artist Ruhul Abdin, to celebrate fifty years of Bangladesh Independence .

 

Local London Assembly Member, Unmesh Desai AM, said:

“It is clear that there is a lot of local appetite for Bangla signage to be introduced at Whitechapel Station- especially as we celebrate the fifty years of Bangladesh Independence.

“This would be a simple addition to the fantastic upgrades that have already been made to the station and it would mean a lot to the local British Bangladeshi community, which is the largest in the country.

“I have been delighted to add my voice to the campaign and I took the opportunity to raise it directly with the TfL Commissioner at the last London Assembly Plenary meeting.

“Elsewhere, it has been great to see the contributions of British Bangladeshis to the borough being marked with the huge new sculpture at Whitechapel Idea Store”.


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