Bangladeshi origin businesswoman Raushan Ara was elected on May 15 as the first Asian mayor of Ramsgate, a seaside town in Thanet district of Kent, England.
Raushan is the owner of the Ramsgate Tandoori, and a labour councillor who has put in significant effort to help the homeless. She is also a mother of two, reports The Isle of Thanet News.
“I plan to continue my work as a community activist, organising like minded people to work together for the benefit of all,” the new mayor said as quoted by the local newspaper.
“I am delighted to become the town’s mayor — it is a great honour,” she added.
Black Asian Minority Ethnic officer for South Thanet Labour Party Aram Rawf, who was born in Iraq, said: “This is a great step forward for ethnic minorities in this area. There are racist elements here who would seek to divide our community and we must be united against them.
“Just four years ago Nigel Farage tried to become MP for this area on an anti-foreigner, anti-immigrant platform. Now we have an Asian mayor. That’s what I call progress,” he added.
Raushan takes over from four-time mayor Trevor Shonk. Jane Hetherington has been elected as the new deputy mayor.
