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Community
Leader, Humanitarian and Business Entrepreneur, Veteran
Philanthropist Dr Wali received the award at graduation ceremony held
at the Heriot-Watt university Edinburgh campus on 12 July. It is the
first time for any British Bangladeshi who received such honour from
any Scottish university.
In 2007 the
university also awarded honorary D.Litt degree to Guardian journalist
Gary Younge, Trinidad and Tobago President and chemical engineer
President George M Richards and former Science Minister Lord
Sainsbury.
Wali was born
in Moulibazar, Bangladesh in 1952. After High School education in
Moulvibazar Govt High School , he travelled to London in 1967. He
entered further education but also worked in restaurants to learn the
trade.
He was
determined to succeed in the restaurant business and worked
inordinately long hours. After many years of hard work he acquired
The Verandah restaurant, The Lancers restaurant and the famous
Britannia Spice: Three of the best restaurants in Edinburgh and the
United Kingdom.
Instead of
devoting all his time to his restaurant business, Wali has committed
himself to community work. This self-imposed duty to the community
sets him apart from many other business men in the City. In this
Community work he has combined his love for Edinburgh with his love
for Bangladesh. Indeed his love for Edinburgh is so great that he is
the most fervent supporter of the Hearts of Midlothian Football Club.
Being longest
serving member of the Edinburgh and Lothians Racial Equality Council
Dr Wali has played a leading role in ensuring that racial problems
are resolved before they surface in the community. As a result he was
awarded MBE in 1995.
He is the
founder and Chair of various Asian and Muslim organisations which are
all designed to bring peace and understanding to the community. For
this work, Dr Uddin was made a Justice of the Peace in 1984...the
first Bangladeshi to receive this honour in Scotland.
His interest
in the education of women encouraged him to become...a Director and
Chief Coordinator of the Sylhet Women's Medical College and Hospital,
a Trustee of the Bangladesh Female Academy and an advisor to the
Atish Dipankar University of Science & Technologies in Dhaka.
Somehow he still finds time to be Chairman of University of East
London Business School Advisary Group, the Council of Bangladeshi in
Scotland and the Commonwealth Society. As the Founder-Trustee and
Chairman of Bangla/Scott Foundation he has instituted business
strategies to promote bilateral development of both nations.
For his
distinguished work in the area of business, Queen Margaret University
College awarded his an Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration.
Dr Uddin
charity work is also extensive. His restaurant Britannia Spice was
the first business to organise a benefit event to raise funds for the
Tsunami. He helped to raise over £30,000 for the Gujarat
earthquake which was used to build a school. His support for the Save
the Children Charity and for the Edinburgh Sick Children Hospital is
continuous. In response to the great cyclone disaster in Bangladesh
in 1991, Dr Uddin raised over £140,000 to build a cyclone
shelter to protect the community from future disasters. A few years
later he raised £220,000 to construct a model village and
training centre in order to help local communities in Bangladesh to
help themselves.
As Chairman of
the Bangladesh-British Chamber of commerce, he has worked tirelessly
to sell Scotland successfully abroad. He is a Director of the Foreign
Chamber of Commerce and was voted Young Scot of the year in 1992. In
1993, he was appointed the first Honorary Consul-General of
Bangladesh in Scotland and in 1995 he was awarded the MBE for his
services to race relations and the community.
From a modest
start Dr Uddin has demonstrated that when business success is
combined with compassion for people, the benefits to the community
are significant. He calls himself a diminutive
British-Scottish-Bangladeshi.
As Chairman of
the Bangladeshi British Chamber of Commerce (BBCC) Dr Uddin has
produced a programme which will ensure that BBCC offices will open in
a range of European cities to ensure that
Bangladeshi-Scottish-British business will continue to develop successfully.
Last year Wali
Uddin was recognised for his contribution to 21st -century Britain.
As entrepreneur and philanthropist he received a Lifetime Achievement
award at the Lloyds TSB Asian Jewel Award ceremony and Muslim Power
100. A fitting recognition of the valuable contributions Walli Uddin
has made to Scotland and Bangladesh.
Heriot-Watt
University is the eighth oldest higher education institution in the
UK founded in 1821. The name commemorates George Heriot - the 16th
century financier to King James, and James Watt - the great 18th
century inventor and engineer is one of the UK's leading research
institutions having been rated at the highest level by national
review body RAE.
Vice-Chancellor
and Principal Anton Muscatelli said - '' Dr Wali Uddin is the
great member of Bangladeshi Community, he has contributed huge amount
for the community in Edinburgh and Bangladesh, through honorary
degree we try to award not only academic excellence but also service
to the community''
Addressing the
gradaunts, Dr Wali said - ''When I started my business I asked my
bank to give me two thousand pounds, they said what you've got ? I
replied ; I got my hand .. I got my leg&ldots; I got everything, on
that time they were not happy to hear this but, today, I have
received highest degree of the country in front of you ..especially
you will serve the nation and the world ..''
''I am
honoured and privileged to see the Hariot-Watt university will go
strength to strength , I would like to devote this honour to all my
Bangladeshi community people living in the UK & abroad '' -
Dr Wali said expressing his reaction.
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