The charity-fundraising gala dinner was held in the banqueting suite of the Holiday Inn Bloomsbury Hotel, in Central London on Friday 5 December 2003.

The guest of honour was Mr Anwar Choudhury, who was the British High Commissioner elect to Bangladesh. Mr Choudhury was the first British-Bangladeshi to hold this position and has been a member of the BBPA since our lunch.

Also attending was Dr Rupa Huq, another BBPA member and sister of TV personality Koni Huq who has been the first British-Bangladeshi to be selected as a candidate in the forthcoming European elections.

The Worshipful Mayor of Camden, Councillor Nasim Ali represented the principle beneficiary of the fundraising effort - the Mayor of Camden's Charitable Trust. Councillor Ali also a BBPA member is the first British-Bangladeshi mayor of Camden, and in fact one of the youngest mayor's in the UK.

Mr Sabir Mustafa, Head of BBC World Service's Bengali Section was also in attendance.

Profits from the ticket sales, and a charity auction with prizes donated by British-Bangladeshi entrepreneur Tommy Miah helped raise a total of £1000 for the Mayor of Camden's Charitable Trust. In particular the funds will support two specific projects.

The first is an orphanage in Sylhet, which helps the street children by offering them accommodation, food and clothing and the second is a primary village school, which is falling apart, some of the children do not have money to buy books, uniforms and sometimes food. They need help to rebuild the school roof and have drinking water facility for the children.