We are pleased to share that the new Bengali Heritage Trail is now up on the izi.travel site. The new local heritage walk celebrating Bengali history in East London was launched on 10 August 2025 as part of South Asian Heritage Month and to mark the 25th anniversary of the Swadhinata Trust.

The walking tour, developed in collaboration with the School of Geography at Queen Mary University of London, showcases stories, places and people central to the area’s Bengali community. The project was co-led by Professor Alastair Owens, from Queen Mary’s School of Geography, in partnership with Ansar Ahmed Ullah, from the Swadhinata Trust, and Mehak Raghuwanshi (a BA English and History student) through the university’s STRIDE programme.

STRIDE (Summer Training Research Initiative to Support Diversity and Equality) provides paid research opportunities for UK fee-paying undergraduates from underrepresented backgrounds. The programme offers students the chance to gain hands-on research experience, training and mentorship during the summer months.

The walk begins at Altab Ali Park and explores the area south of Commercial Road, where East London’s Bengali community has shaped the cultural and political life of the neighbourhood. From the arrival of Bengali seafarers (lascars) to the growth of the community in the 1980s, the tour uncovers pivotal moments in local history — including the founding of the Bangladesh Youth Movement and community-led events like football tournaments, music festivals and cultural cafés.

You’ll find the walk here: https://izi.travel/en/browse/daebfead-95c5-4270-90c1-5704923c3fb4/en