Explore the lives of Bengali and Sylheti-speaking communities living and working in the Cathedral and King St quarters of Norwich.
Follow the walking trail and scan the QR code at each marked location to hear a first-hand account of the lives of residents: their memoires of migration, of growing up as second and third-generation Bengalis, and of how Norwich has changed over time.
There are 14 excerpts in total for you to enjoy — the full audio and transcripts of each are available on our website and from the Norfolk Record Office.
Head down King Street, long associated with fishing and riverside industries, and pay a visit to a historic gem of our city, Dragon Hall, home to the National Centre for Writing.
Mahbubar Rahman
‘I personally do not belong to any single tradition. I am just as much from Sylhet, as from Dhaka, and I belong to Norwich as well.’
Hear the story of Mahbubar Rahman — a multi-talented free thinker who doesn’t belong to any
single tradition — who has built a family and life in Norwich outside of religion.
Ashish K Kundu
‘This is my story. A true fairy tale of a man born in faraway Bangladesh who somehow crossed the gulf from there all the way to Norwich.’
Next, listen to the ‘true fairytale’ of Ashish K Kundu, whose passion for science, medicine and writing led him to settle in this city as an A&E doctor.
Stories From the Quarter is a National Centre for Writing project in partnership with Norfolk Record Office, funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund. It aims to document and celebrate the stories of the vibrant and diverse communities that live and work in Norwich.
With special thanks to Mahbubar (Mash) Rahman, Shagufta Sharmeen, Ummay Honi Lethe, Access Creative College, Jason Wick at Goat Pen Studio, and Colin Fraser.
