Back to the BCA BCA history archive

The day the BCA was born

Founding history

The surviving history graphic records the meeting at which the Bangladesh Caterers Association was formed.

On 3 July 1960, twenty men gathered at Friends International Centre, 32 Tavistock Place. The association's first office was recorded as 21 Romilly Street, London W1.

First elected committee

  • Shirajul Islam (Israel Miah), President
  • Gous Khan, Vice President
  • Salamat Miah, Vice President
  • Abdul Rahman Khan, Vice President
  • Joytun Miah, Vice President
  • Bashir Uddin Ahmed, Secretary General
  • Antor Ali, Organising Secretary
  • M. A. Gofur, Publicity Secretary
  • A. S. Choudhury, Finance Secretary
  • Tara Miah, Social Secretary
  • Abdur Rahman, Joint Treasurer
  • Surat Miah, Joint Treasurer

The graphic places the founding day in contemporary context: petrol cost 2.5p per litre, the average weekly wage was recorded as GBP 14 10s 8d, and Harold Macmillan led the Conservative government.