# Foysol Choudhury

Foysol Hussain Choudhury, MBE (Bengali: ফয়ছল হোসেন চৌধূরী; born 5 January 1969) is a Bangladeshi-born British businessman, and a Scottish Labour politician. He has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Lothian region since May 2021.
Choudhury is Chairman of the Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council. He was one of the founding directors and the Vice Chair of the Edinburgh Mela. He is also Chairman of the Bangladesh Samity Edinburgh.

## Early life

Choudhury was born on 5 January, 1969 to the Bengali Muslim Choudhury family in Badardi, Nabigonj, Habigonj, Bangladesh. He is the eldest son of the late Al‐Haj Gulam Rabbani Choudhury and Rukeya Rabbani Choudhury, with six siblings: one brother, Muffalal, and five sisters, Ripa, Rema, Sheema, Ema, and Epa. His father came and settled in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1982 with his family. Choudhury's uncle is businessman Wali Tasar Uddin.

## Career

During his time studying at the University of Edinburgh, Choudhury took responsibility for his ailing father's business. He expanded the business and is now an entrepreneur with interests in catering, hospitality, finance and real estate across the United Kingdom and Bangladesh.
Foysol is a prominent community activist in the UK, known for his leadership and commitment to improving social justice. He has worked with the Scottish Government and various councils to improve community relations. He has played a leading role in several charities.
He has been involved with the Edinburgh and Lothian’s Regional Equality Council (ELREC) since he was a teenager and has been an active campaigner for equality, good race and inter‐faith relations in Scotland. He has served ELREC in different capacities, as a Trustee, Company Secretary, Vice‐Chair and he currently holds the post of Chair. Choudhury has led the organisation through its transition from the race equality council to a pan-equalities regional council. In 2013, he was re-elected for a fourth term.
In 1997, Choudhury co-founded the Edinburgh Mela and is currently its vice-chair. Additionally, he is the Chairman of the Bangladesh Samity Edinburgh (Bangladesh Association Edinburgh), organizing events to celebrate Bangladeshi culture and heritage. Choudhury is the General Secretary of the Guild of Bangladeshi Restaurateurs of Scotland and as one of the founding members of Dine Bangladeshi Campaign.
At the snap 2017 general election, Choudhury was selected as the official Labour Party candidate for the Edinburgh South West constituency. However, he was not elected and finished in third place with 13,213 votes.
He was elected at 2021 Scottish Parliament election for the Lothian region, becoming the first MSP of Bangladeshi background to be elected. Within the Scottish Parliament, Choudhury serves as Deputy Party Spokesperson on Culture, Europe, and International Development for Scottish Labour.
In the Chamber, Choudhury has raised parliamentary questions on various topics, including housing, healthcare, climate justice, Scottish education, racism, and refugee support. He backed the UK Government’s decision to introduce means-testing for the Winter Fuel Payment, voting in the Scottish Parliament against calls to reverse the decision.

## Awards and recognition

In 2004, in recognition of his services to the community, Choudhury was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2004 New Year Honours for his services to the community. He has also been involved in various charitable activities, including fundraising for disaster relief efforts in Bangladesh and supporting local charities in Scotland. He received the Open All Hours Award in 2023 from the Holyrood Political Awards.

## Personal life

Choudhury is married to Tahmina (Moni) Choudhury.
He is involved in fundraising campaigns, raising over £250,000 for causes including Bangladesh Cyclone Appeal in Scotland, St Colombia's Hospice, Leukaemia and Cancer appeal, Sick Kids appeal, the British Heart Foundation and many others. In addition to this he is also one of the organisers who built two shelter and 40 houses for the survivors of Cyclone Sidr Bangladesh in 2010.