Rizwan Hussain
Encyclopedia
Rizwan Hussain is a British Barrister (called to the Bar at Lincolns Inn) satellite television presenter and an international humanitarian worker. He is also a former Hindi music singer and producer and is best known for being a television presenter on Islamic programs on Islam Channel
and Channel S
.
, and moved to the United Kingdom
at a very young age with his parents. His parents settled in Loughborough
a town located in Charnwood
in Leicestershire
. His late father was a retired soldier of the British Army
. Rizwan is a Lecturer of Law who has worked as a Human Rights Lawyer. He has so far has been a Lecturer of Laws, Police Officer, Journalist, Actor and Singer. He is a television presenter on two channels on the Sky Digital platform, and is known for presenting Islamic and charity shows. Rizwan studied at the University of Derby
where he studied Law
and then at the Inns of Court School of Law
in London
, he studied to become a Barrister and was called to the Bar at Lincolns Inn [2006]. Subsequently, he went on to qualify as a lecturer at the Nottingham Trent University
by completing a PGCE in FE. Rizwan is currently undertaking a research LLM (Masters) on the subject of Anti-Terrorism legislation in the UK at the University of Huddersfield
. Rizwan is now living in East Ham
, London. His mother currently lives in Loughborough with his older brother Iqbal Ullah and his younger sister Sirina Choudhury. He lives with his youngest sister Ruhena Ullah and oldest brother Jakir Ullah. Rizwan has 2 brothers and 2 sisters.
In the late 1990s, he mainly became interested in music
, and began performing under the band name “Sargam” and eventually became known as songwriter of popular albums,which includes B-Boy, featuring songs such as "Harr Pal Mujko" and "Jaan". He has appeared on the top Asian music shows on Vectone TV and ATN Global. During his music career, Rizwan had a hit single
in the UK's Asian charts, which he was performing at various notable stadiums such as Wembley Arena
in London
, White Pearl in Birmingham
and also in Scotland
at the Central Park Glasgow On 14th April 2011, he married Nadia Ali in London
.
in 2005, and decided to work with Islamic-oriented channels, and charity organisations such as Muslim Aid
, Muslim Charity
and Islamic Relief
on presenting many charity events on Islam Channel
and Channel S
. At Islam Channel, he is a Presenter, Producer and Documentary director, and currently presents a show called, ‘National Qir’at Competition - a children's program. On Channel S, he has presented Islam Essentials, which gives answers to people's questions regarding on Islam
in English and Bengali, as well as flagship contemporary youth discussion show "Thinking Allowed". Rizwan travelled to Bangladesh
, during the aftermath of Cyclone Sidr
in 2008 which left millions homeless, with Muslim Aid
to assist the team to deliver the water, food and clothing goods to the communities that have been greatly affected, alongside with Abdul Jolil Miah and Sheikh Abdur Rahman Madani. In the beginning of Jan 2010, Rizwan went to Somalia
to undertake few humanitarian and relief projects with Muslim Charity
. Rizwan recently returned from Bangladesh after organising some projects for Muslim Charity in Sylhet.
Rizwan has covered Hajj programmes LIVE from Makkah with Islam Channel since 2006 and has had the opportunity of completing Hajj 5 times (up to 2010) and a combinaton of Umrah and Hajj trips totalling to 16 since 1996.
He is currently the founding member and Secretary General of the newly formed European Council of Mosques, www.councilofmosques.eu an initiative to create a common platform for fundraising for Mosques throughout Europe.
. He was assisting an elderly woman with her daughter who had ticket
problems, but entered a restricted
part of the airport. He was then suspected of human trafficking
by the officials, and was taken into a room, and beaten up for up to 55 minutes by the security officers, which later he was forced to sign a false statement, admitting to be involved with human trafficking. The effects of the attack includes broken bones of his right leg and left arms, and bruises to most of his upper body, and was unable to walk. An investigation
was carried out of the incident, which resulted in the suspension
and arrest
s of the officers involved in the attack, and there was much campaign against the attack by the Bangladeshi community
in the UK, with media attention by Channel S
, and on 26 April 2008 demonstrations were held at Altab Ali Park
near Brick Lane
and Whitechapel
, campaigned by the Bangladesh Human Rights
Coalition, with petitions being signed online, demanding the trials of the officers, and apologies from the Caretaker government
and the military
.
Islam Channel
Islam Channel is a UK-based, free-to-air, English language, Islamic-focused satellite television channel funded by advertising and donations. It was reported in 2008 that UK government research found that 97.3% of Muslims watched the channel...
and Channel S
Channel S
Channel S is a UK-based, free-to-air television channel targeting the British Bangladeshi community. The channel was established on 16 December 2004, by Mahee Ferdous Jalil - a Bangladeshi businessman in London. On Sky it had a timesharing deal with ATN Global, and then in 2005 it started to...
.
Life and career
Rizwan was born in BangladeshBangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, and moved to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
at a very young age with his parents. His parents settled in Loughborough
Loughborough
Loughborough is a town within the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. It is the seat of Charnwood Borough Council and is home to Loughborough University...
a town located in Charnwood
Charnwood
Charnwood may refer to:* Charnwood , a local government district in the county of Leicestershire, England* Charnwood , an electoral ward and administrative division of the city of Leicester, England...
in Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
. His late father was a retired soldier of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. Rizwan is a Lecturer of Law who has worked as a Human Rights Lawyer. He has so far has been a Lecturer of Laws, Police Officer, Journalist, Actor and Singer. He is a television presenter on two channels on the Sky Digital platform, and is known for presenting Islamic and charity shows. Rizwan studied at the University of Derby
University of Derby
The University of Derby is a university in the city of Derby, England. The main site is on Kedleston Road, Allestree in the north-west of Derby close to the A38 opposite Markeaton Park...
where he studied Law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
and then at the Inns of Court School of Law
Inns of Court School of Law
The Inns of Court School of Law, often abbreviated to ICSL is a professional legal training institution based in London in Gray's Inn...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, he studied to become a Barrister and was called to the Bar at Lincolns Inn [2006]. Subsequently, he went on to qualify as a lecturer at the Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University is a public teaching and research university in Nottingham, United Kingdom. It was founded as a new university in 1992 from the existing Trent Polytechnic , however it can trace its roots back to 1843 with the establishment of the Nottingham Government School of Design...
by completing a PGCE in FE. Rizwan is currently undertaking a research LLM (Masters) on the subject of Anti-Terrorism legislation in the UK at the University of Huddersfield
University of Huddersfield
The University of Huddersfield is a university located in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England.- History :The University traces its roots back to a Science and Mechanic Institute founded in 1825...
. Rizwan is now living in East Ham
East Ham
East Ham is a suburban district of London, England, and part of the London Borough of Newham. It is a built-up district located 8 miles east-northeast of Charing Cross...
, London. His mother currently lives in Loughborough with his older brother Iqbal Ullah and his younger sister Sirina Choudhury. He lives with his youngest sister Ruhena Ullah and oldest brother Jakir Ullah. Rizwan has 2 brothers and 2 sisters.
In the late 1990s, he mainly became interested in music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, and began performing under the band name “Sargam” and eventually became known as songwriter of popular albums,which includes B-Boy, featuring songs such as "Harr Pal Mujko" and "Jaan". He has appeared on the top Asian music shows on Vectone TV and ATN Global. During his music career, Rizwan had a hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
in the UK's Asian charts, which he was performing at various notable stadiums such as Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena is an indoor arena, at Wembley, in the London Borough of Brent. The building is opposite Wembley Stadium.-History:...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, White Pearl in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and also in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
at the Central Park Glasgow On 14th April 2011, he married Nadia Ali in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Media and charity work
He later left his music career, after performing the HajjHajj
The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...
in 2005, and decided to work with Islamic-oriented channels, and charity organisations such as Muslim Aid
Muslim Aid
Muslim Aid is a UK based international relief and development organisation working to alleviate poverty worldwide. The charity says it believes in sustainable, local and practical solutions to empower individuals and strengthen communities...
, Muslim Charity
Muslim Charity
Muslim Charity is an international relief and development non-governmental organization that aims to alleviate the suffering of the world's poorest people...
and Islamic Relief
Islamic Relief
Islamic Relief Worldwide is a Muslim international relief and development organization consisting of a family of 15 aid agencies that aims to alleviate the suffering of the world’s poorest people...
on presenting many charity events on Islam Channel
Islam Channel
Islam Channel is a UK-based, free-to-air, English language, Islamic-focused satellite television channel funded by advertising and donations. It was reported in 2008 that UK government research found that 97.3% of Muslims watched the channel...
and Channel S
Channel S
Channel S is a UK-based, free-to-air television channel targeting the British Bangladeshi community. The channel was established on 16 December 2004, by Mahee Ferdous Jalil - a Bangladeshi businessman in London. On Sky it had a timesharing deal with ATN Global, and then in 2005 it started to...
. At Islam Channel, he is a Presenter, Producer and Documentary director, and currently presents a show called, ‘National Qir’at Competition - a children's program. On Channel S, he has presented Islam Essentials, which gives answers to people's questions regarding on Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
in English and Bengali, as well as flagship contemporary youth discussion show "Thinking Allowed". Rizwan travelled to Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, during the aftermath of Cyclone Sidr
Cyclone Sidr
Cyclone Sidr was the strongest named cyclone in the Bay of Bengal...
in 2008 which left millions homeless, with Muslim Aid
Muslim Aid
Muslim Aid is a UK based international relief and development organisation working to alleviate poverty worldwide. The charity says it believes in sustainable, local and practical solutions to empower individuals and strengthen communities...
to assist the team to deliver the water, food and clothing goods to the communities that have been greatly affected, alongside with Abdul Jolil Miah and Sheikh Abdur Rahman Madani. In the beginning of Jan 2010, Rizwan went to Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
to undertake few humanitarian and relief projects with Muslim Charity
Muslim Charity
Muslim Charity is an international relief and development non-governmental organization that aims to alleviate the suffering of the world's poorest people...
. Rizwan recently returned from Bangladesh after organising some projects for Muslim Charity in Sylhet.
Rizwan has covered Hajj programmes LIVE from Makkah with Islam Channel since 2006 and has had the opportunity of completing Hajj 5 times (up to 2010) and a combinaton of Umrah and Hajj trips totalling to 16 since 1996.
International Travels for Charity Work
Since 2005 Rizwan has travelled to many countries in the world, mainly in relation to charity work and media coverage. These include; Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Somaliland, Sudan (Darfur), Canada, Australia, Malaysia,Spain, Italy & Siciliy, Portugal, Germany, Sweden, Turkey, South Africa, France, Belgium.He is currently the founding member and Secretary General of the newly formed European Council of Mosques, www.councilofmosques.eu an initiative to create a common platform for fundraising for Mosques throughout Europe.
Attacked in Bangladesh
In 14 April 2008, Rizwan was assaulted by Bangladeshi airport officials at the Shahjalal International Airport in DhakaDhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
. He was assisting an elderly woman with her daughter who had ticket
Ticket (admission)
A ticket is a voucher that indicates that one has paid for admission to an event or establishment such as a theatre, movie theater, amusement park, zoo, museum, concert, or other attraction, or permission to travel on a vehicle such as an airliner, train, bus, or boat, typically because one has...
problems, but entered a restricted
Restriction
Restriction may refer to:* Restriction , an aspect of a mathematical function* Restrictions , an album by Cactus* Restriction enzyme, a type of enzyme that cleaves genetic material...
part of the airport. He was then suspected of human trafficking
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
by the officials, and was taken into a room, and beaten up for up to 55 minutes by the security officers, which later he was forced to sign a false statement, admitting to be involved with human trafficking. The effects of the attack includes broken bones of his right leg and left arms, and bruises to most of his upper body, and was unable to walk. An investigation
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
was carried out of the incident, which resulted in the suspension
Suspension (punishment)
Suspension is a form of punishment that people receive for violating rules and regulations.- Workplace :Suspension is a common practice in the workplace for being in violation of an organization's policy...
and arrest
Arrest
An arrest is the act of depriving a person of his or her liberty usually in relation to the purported investigation and prevention of crime and presenting into the criminal justice system or harm to oneself or others...
s of the officers involved in the attack, and there was much campaign against the attack by the Bangladeshi community
British Bangladeshi
A British Bangladeshi is a person of Bangladeshi origin who resides in the United Kingdom having emigrated to the UK and attained citizenship through naturalisation or whose parents did so; they are also known as British Bengalis...
in the UK, with media attention by Channel S
Channel S
Channel S is a UK-based, free-to-air television channel targeting the British Bangladeshi community. The channel was established on 16 December 2004, by Mahee Ferdous Jalil - a Bangladeshi businessman in London. On Sky it had a timesharing deal with ATN Global, and then in 2005 it started to...
, and on 26 April 2008 demonstrations were held at Altab Ali Park
Altab Ali Park
Altab Ali Park is a small park on Adler Street, White Church Lane and Whitechapel High Street, London E1; formerly known as St. Mary's Park it is the site of the old 14th Century white chapel, St. Mary Matfelon, from which the area of Whitechapel gets its name. Having been destroyed in The Blitz...
near Brick Lane
Brick Lane
Brick Lane is a street in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London. It runs from Swanfield Street in the northern part of Bethnal Green, crosses Bethnal Green Road, passes through Spitalfields and is linked to Whitechapel High Street to the south by the short stretch of...
and Whitechapel
Whitechapel
Whitechapel is a built-up inner city district in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, London, England. It is located east of Charing Cross and roughly bounded by the Bishopsgate thoroughfare on the west, Fashion Street on the north, Brady Street and Cavell Street on the east and The Highway on the...
, campaigned by the Bangladesh Human Rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
Coalition, with petitions being signed online, demanding the trials of the officers, and apologies from the Caretaker government
Caretaker government of Bangladesh
The Caretaker Government of Bangladesh is a form of government system in which the country is ruled by a selected government for an interim period during transition from one government to another, after the completion tenure of the former. As the outgoing government hands over their power, the...
and the military
Military of Bangladesh
The Bangladesh Armed Forces consists of the three uniformed military services of Bangladesh: the Bangladesh Army, the Bangladesh Navy and the Bangladesh Air Force. The para-military Border Guard Bangladesh and Bangladesh Coast Guard are under the jurisdiction of the during peacetime, but during...
.
See also
- List of British Bangladeshis
- Channel SChannel SChannel S is a UK-based, free-to-air television channel targeting the British Bangladeshi community. The channel was established on 16 December 2004, by Mahee Ferdous Jalil - a Bangladeshi businessman in London. On Sky it had a timesharing deal with ATN Global, and then in 2005 it started to...
- Muslim AidMuslim AidMuslim Aid is a UK based international relief and development organisation working to alleviate poverty worldwide. The charity says it believes in sustainable, local and practical solutions to empower individuals and strengthen communities...
- Muslim CharityMuslim CharityMuslim Charity is an international relief and development non-governmental organization that aims to alleviate the suffering of the world's poorest people...
- Ajmal MasroorAjmal MasroorAjmal Masroor is a British imam, broadcaster and politician. He is well known for being a television presenter on political discussions and on Muslim channels.-Background:...