Hawzah News Agency- The Husaini Islamic Centre (HIC) in Peterborough was mentioned on ITV News’s episode that was broadcasted, as a part of the “Uganda 50” series.

What is Uganda 50?

2022 marks 50 years since Ugandan Ex-President Idi Amin ordered 70,000 Asians to leave the country within 90-days, in 1972. He had accused these Asians of corruption and not doing enough to integrate; however, these claims were strongly denied by those who lived there. The announcement led to widespread violence and fear, and many families fled and came to Britain with an uncertainty about their future.

ITV News channel is broadcasting a video series titled “Uganda 50” to commemorate 50 years of the migration of Ugandan Asians to Britain.

Husaini Islamic Centre on National TV

In a series of videos uploaded on the ITV website, a video uploaded on Friday tracked down a woman who was photographed arriving at the Stansted Airport in 1972. The woman, Rasilaben Unalkat, was tracked down by ITV News Central’s Rajiv Popat who found out that she had been residing in Peterborough.

In the picture (L-R) – Rasilaben Unalkat, Mr Rajiv Popat, Brother Fazle-Abbas Rahemtulla and Brother Rizwan Rahemtulla at the Husaini Islamic Centre)

In the video, Rasilaben can be seen just moments after the plane was landed. Also appearing in the video are Brother Fazle-Abbas Rahemtulla and Brother Rizwan Rahemtulla who talk about their own experience with the migration. Rasilaben has been meeting members of our community at the HIC Centre in Peterborough.

The Husaini Islamic Centre is the first mosque of its kind in Europe. Built in 1974 through the fundraising from our community members who migrated there from Uganda. While responding to Mr Rajiv Popat, Brother Rizwan Rahemtulla commented about the centre, saying that “It was the hard work and earnings from those who first arrived in 1972, that helped lay the foundations for the mosque as it is today.”