People all over the world today love the British cuisine while very few people in fact know about the great contribution of the Bangladeshi prodigies that, during the 60s and 70s of the last century, laid down the very foundation of this booming industry d.
To celebrate the unsung accomplishment of these heroes of the British culinary industry in a befitting manner and to support the curry trade, British Curry Day is being observed all across the country tomorrow (Thursday, 3rd December) with a number of occasions and events.
The gala day is initiated jointly by British-Bangladeshi Caterers Association, the Guild of Bangladeshi Restaurateurs and Spice Business Magazine. In observance of the day in the context of a Covid-19 Pandemic circumstances, restaurants would prepare some of their flagship dish or meals and donate those to hospitals, mosques, churches and charities as well as provide free meals to the vulnerable, children entitled to free school meals and NHS workers working at hospitals across the festive period. To render a helping hand in there, the British Curry Day website www.britishcurryday.org has suggested recipes from top chefs and celebrity cooks.
The theme for this year’s British Curry Day is ‘Back the Bhaji’ a reminder that many popular so called ‘Indian’ dishes were actually (e.g. the Onion Bhaji and Chicken Tikka Masala) created in Britain by the Bangladeshi restaurateurs and chefs. The day, which is set to become an annual fixture in the culinary calendar, is expected to raise many thousands of pounds for good causes, locally, nationally and abroad.
Built-up over the past inch-by-inch by our great forefathers who once migrated to this promising land from Bangladesh half a century back solely with a pledge in their heart to bring about their own economic emancipation, eventually created the unique fusion and laid down the first brick of this great establishment that it is today.
Editor and publisher of Spice Business Mr. Enam Ali MBE said, ‘Tragically we are losing many of the country’s first curry restaurateurs, who are now elderly with severe underlying health issues, to the pandemic. These people came to a strange foreign land at the invitation of the British government and through their own endeavors and willingness to work anti-social hours, built a special industry, which is now an integral part of British society. Their contribution to Bangladesh is unprecedented. The first generation of these people never had life a luxury sacrificing their all for the family. Today, British national dish is Chicken tikka Masala which Curry heroes invented.’
Already blessed with the kind consent from Her Majesty the British Queen responding to the call of the British-Bangladeshi caterers consisting of more than 12 thousand restaurants, observance of British Curry Day would raise awareness, bring to light the proud history and great impact of the people engaged in this industry and making a contribution of about 5 billion pounds annually to the national exchequer.
