Talk:Murad Qureshi

info on london policy interests and decisions
somebody needs to input qureshi's work in the london assembly. this is relevant for inclusion first and foremost. seems to be an absence - in contrast with obscure and insubstantiated additions attempted to do with his Dad's activities or tenuous connections with 'awami'. who cares. get with the wiki programme Quickerthan 23:54, 11 February 2007 (UTC)

uninformed amendments to this biographical entry
Will contributors please stop deleting my corrections to this entry. Some of the amendments made are just ridiculous. For example we have entries reading: "Murad Qureshi ... is a British Labour Party politician, and is the member of the Greater London Assembly for Westminster, the city's governing body, and being the only Muslim elected official on the London assembly."

Not only does this make no grammatical sense but there is no such thing as the "Greater London Assembly". Murad is a member of the London Assembly and he was elected on the London-wide list. There is no GLA constituency named "Westminster".

We have people claiming that Murad was born in Sylhet, others that he was born in London. He was in fact born in Manchester. You can email him at City Hall and ask him if you want.

All the information I have provided for this entry has been checked with Murad himself. My aim has been to provide an accurate and objective summary of his life and political work. So please, stop posting a lot of ignorant crap and messing up this entry. It's the sort of nonsense that brings Wikipedia into disrepute. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.45.200.138 (talk) 20:07, 9 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Thank you for your contributions, I have added sections to the article, and have added: his parents are originally from Sylhet, Bangladesh - backed with 3 references. Bangali71 (talk) 12:37, 10 June 2009 (UTC)

I have emailed Murad and he assures me that his father was in fact born in Shillong. So you have added inaccurate information - and deleted a lot of accurate information that I have spent some time adding along with relevant links to Wiki articles. Why are you doing this? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 213.86.122.5 (talk) 13:04, 10 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Im sorry but these are based on sources/references as cited with 3 please view them, the second of which it states he is orignally from Sylhet, you're information cannot be verified because you have only emailed to this person, are you even sure it is Qureshi himself? the information should be based on references. Bangali71 (talk) 13:17, 10 June 2009 (UTC)

This is just ridiculous. Why don't you contact Qureshi's office and check? Details are here: http://www.london.gov.uk/assembly/members/qureshim.jsp
 * For now I will remove 'from Sylhet', but clearly it is known from the references they are from Bangladesh. Bangali71 (talk) 13:27, 10 June 2009 (UTC)

Well, we'll have to compromise on "of Bangladeshi descent". But you've still deleted all the information I added. So I'm going to have to do it all over again, which is a total pain in the arse. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 213.86.122.5 (talk) 13:35, 10 June 2009 (UTC)
 * What do you mean all over again? there is no much difference to the revisions, I have added back information of him following Bangladeshi politics, and the City Hall meetings, please do not go there because it will constitute as vandalism. Bangali71 (talk) 13:47, 10 June 2009 (UTC)

I have tidied it up, introduced a separate category for "Campaigns and activities", restored the deleted information about his China Daily and Tribune articles, and added a couple of references to these. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 213.86.122.5 (talk) 15:06, 10 June 2009 (UTC)

I have reverted to the previous version. The reason why I deleted reference No.2 to the Calcutta Telegraph is that it states falsely that Murad was "originally from Sylhet" when in fact he was born in the UK, in Manchester. I have checked this with Murad and he agrees that the Calcutta Telegraph statement is inaccurate. Bangali71 clearly knows little or nothing about Murad Qureshi's life and political career, yet he has repeatedly added mistaken information to this entry. He can continue doing this, but every time he does so I will amend and correct it. So he's wasting my time and his own. And helping to destroy whatever reputation for reliability Wikipedia still has left.
 * Im sorry but if you have the ability to read, you would see that it does not say he was 'born in Sylhet' but 'originally from Sylhet', a person can still be originally be from Sylhet even if he or she was born in another part of the world! for example I was born in London, but I am originally from Sylhet, it does not necessary mean I was born in Sylhet, but my origins are in Sylhet!! Bangali71 (talk) 11:09, 13 June 2009 (UTC)

As I say, I have checked this with Murad and he says it is a mistake. You cannot say that he was "originally from Sylhet" when was born in Manchester and was brought up in the UK. So I have reverted to the previous version. As I say, I will continue doing this until Bangali71 pisses off and stops sabotaging this entry by posting ignorant crap, which he has been doing for the past several weeks. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.45.200.138 (talk) 14:07, 13 June 2009 (UTC)

I have also removed another of Bangali71's amendments, which stated that Murad was in Sylhet for the Bangladesh general election. Murad was in Sylhet for polling day, but didn't spend the entire election campaign there. Bangali71 is clearly a crank who has an obsession with Sylhet. I suggest he takes his obsession elsewhere.
 * Go and look at a dictionary and see what originally means, and I doubt Murad will actually reply back regarding to these types of informations. This is in fact not a mistake and I believe you are an anti-Sylheti by reviewing your edits, you are trying to remove information that this guy is not from Sylhet, when in fact he is, just because he was born in Manchester does that mean hes not a Bangladeshi or a Sylheti? Your statements clearly do not make sense, the source is trying to indicate that he is of Bangladeshi descent as it states he is originally from Sylhet. Please do not revert informations which are referenced, or you will be blocked from editing. Bangali71 (talk) 15:20, 13 June 2009 (UTC)

When someone is said to be "originally" from a particular city, region or country, that is "orginally" in the sense of "initially, at first". So if you refer readers to an article saying that Murad was "originally from Sylhet", the vast majority of them will take it to mean that he was born and spent at least some part of his early life there.

As I have pointed out, that is not the case, and Murad states that the article is mistaken in making that claim.

Murad did not specifically visit Sylhet for the elections last December. He visited Bangladesh, and as I recall from discussing this with him, he spent some time in Dhaka. So again, you are misleading people with your amendments.

You don't even understand the concept of vandalism, which you have twice reported me for. So there is no prospect of me being banned from editing. Unfortunately, there is no prospect of you being banned either, because Wikipedia by its very nature is vulnerable to idiots and cranks posting on subjects of which they have no knowledge and pursuing their own obsessions without any concern for accuracy. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.45.200.138 (talk) 16:28, 13 June 2009 (UTC)


 * The source even indicates he spent polling day in Sylhet, which obviously means he spent the election in Sylhet, I dont think he ran out of Sylhet one that very same day, you are clearly not making sense and shows you can not bear the fact of having the word Sylhet in the article even though he was in Sylhet during the election, and you go on to say he told me, I have contacted the guy many times and no reply, and why would he reply on this type of topic, im sorry to say to you but he is from Sylhet whether you like it or not, thats life. Bangali71 (talk) 16:35, 13 June 2009 (UTC)

Could I add my support to Bangali71's critics. I have followed his/her amendments and they really are not helpful or accurate. Qureshi clearly is not "originally from Sylhet", as it would appear that he has never lived there, still less been born there. And it sounds like he visited various parts of Bangladesh during the elections last December, so why single out his visit to Sylhet? Unless, of course, like Bangali71 you have some sort of cranky obsession with that particular part of the world. —Preceding unsigned comment added by RobtWilkins (talk • contribs) 17:11, 13 June 2009 (UTC)
 * You are the same user as the IP editor, you don't need to live there or be born there, get it through your head that someone can be originally from some other place based on their parents ancestral home. He is from Sylhet, Bangladesh but born in Britian, majority of people in the UK are from Sylhet, this also includes people who were born in the UK. Bangali71 (talk) 17:20, 13 June 2009 (UTC)

You really are a crank aren't you? —Preceding unsigned comment added by RobtWilkins (talk • contribs) 17:25, 13 June 2009 (UTC)
 * You are clearly not making a valid statement here mate, if he was to go back to his ancestral home of Bangladesh, he would go to his village in the Sylhet region, which I am trying to make a point he is still from Sylhet even though born in UK, you just don't understand, you do not have a valid point. Bangali71 (talk) 17:29, 13 June 2009 (UTC)


 * The information about Murad Qureshi is correct, his family is from Sheikh Para in Sylhet town, this was confirmed by his father Mushtaq Qureshi; here is the received email:

''I was born on the 29th of January 1934, at Sheikh house Sheikh Para, Sylhet. My ancestor Sheikh Karom Boksh Qureshi, Who was one of the Follower of Hazrat Shajalal (Suhala-Yamoni) Over 700 hundred years past. I am the 13th generation of my family, unfortunately there would not be a fourteenth generation, as a my children were born in the UK and settled in the West. Thank you for asking. Mushtaq Qureshi .'' Bangali71 (talk) 11:31, 15 June 2009 (UTC)


 * Here is another email received from Mushtaq Qureshi, requested information about when he arrived to the country and where he settled:

''I came to UK on the 6th of September 1956, I lived in London for year than moved to Manchester in 1957 I lived in Charlton for two years and than moved to Stockport came back to London in July 1965.Since I have continuously Living in London, I visit Bangladesh Twice every year in 1970-71 I stayed eight months during the Freedom fight and took part most probably I am one of the very few Bangali lived continuously in The UK I have strong attachment for Manchester, this is because I and my family are devout supporter of MANU, we come to most of the home matches. MQ''. All these informations are confirmed by his father, so therefore these are valid and correct informations of Murad Qureshi, it states he was born in Stockport, and his father was born in Sylhet, so this means Murad is originally from Sylhet, Bangladesh. Bangali71 (talk) 10:37, 17 June 2009 (UTC)

Look, I’m well aware that some sections of the Bangladeshi community regard the issue of where their family comes from “back home” as a central part of their identity. This accounts, for example, for the well-known phenomenon of “village politics” in elections to Tower Hamlets council, where such details of family origin can determine which candidate is electable and even take precedence over party-political affiliation.

I entirely understand why first-generation migrants in particular should take this view, and if Murad Qureshi shared it, it would be appropriate to emphasise this aspect of his background.

But the point is that, as anyone familiar with Qureshi’s political opinions can confirm, he doesn’t. It is no doubt a matter of importance to Qureshi’s father that he can trace his roots back to someone who followed a 13th-century saint, but it has zero relevance to an understanding of Qureshi himself.

Anyone who has heard Qureshi speak on these matters will know that, as an adherent of Amartya Sen’s theory of plural identities, he resents being shoe-horned into the category of “Bangladeshi politician” just as he opposes being described as a “Muslim politician”.

When it comes to origins, he prefers to emphasise his wider links with South Asia rather than just Bangladesh. He points out that his father was in fact born in Shillong (not Sheikh Para), which is now part of India, and that he has family links to people in Delhi.

So what Bangali71 has been trying to do is to impose his conception of his own identity on someone who doesn’t share that conception. The result is to mislead anyone who consults this Wikipedia entry.

So once again I have removed the irrelevant material. I have also added some stuff about Qureshi’s background in housing and environmental campaigning which, unlike his descent from Sheikh Karom Boksh Qureshi, actually has some relevance to an understanding of Qureshi’s politics today. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 213.86.122.5 (talk) 12:48, 22 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Im sorry but there is no reason to suggest that these informations are incorrect, these have been confirmed by Murad himself and his father through email that they are from Sheikh Para, just because a person as you say only relates to a one set of region, does not mean it should deny users to enter in information that is valid and correct. This is not my identity for sure mate, and I think Wikipedia does allow such informations to be added plus are confirmed by sources, it does makes sense to have these informations because it is his background, which just doesn't disappear into thin air. Bangali71 (talk) 10:15, 23 June 2009 (UTC)
 * I have removed information about his ancestors but information about his father is relevant because it shows the slight history of his background and basically how he came into existence. Bangali71 (talk) 10:20, 23 June 2009 (UTC)

The emphasis on the "family home" is misleading, for the reason explained above. As is your further addition "Qureshi since elected, is the first and only Muslim member of the Greater London Assembly". I have already stated why Qureshi rejects being described as the "Muslim member" of the Assembly. He would point out that Brian Coleman is never described as "the first and only Methodist member" of the Assembly.

And there is no such body as the "Greater London Assembly". It is called the London Assembly, and it is a component part of the Greater London Authority.

The problem here is that you know nothing about London politics in general or this London politician in particular.

Why don't you do a Wikipedia entry on Qureshi's father, Mushtaq. Then you can put in all the stuff about the family home and Sheikh Karom Boksh Qureshi, and we can add a link to it from this Wikipedia entry?


 * Replaced back removed references to indicate Bangladeshi descent, added back only Muslim seeing he is the only and what the source says should not be hidden - its a fact and was born in Stockport in Greater Manchester not the Manchester city. Bangali71 (talk) 12:37, 24 June 2009 (UTC)

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