HATE crime and poor education standards are among the main issues affecting Bradford’s Muslim population, a new report claims.

The Bradford-based Council for Mosques has just released its annual report, which says the British Muslim community is under intense scrutiny due to issues like “the menace of terrorism.”

It says a rise in hate crime and organisations like Britain First mean the group “cannot afford to take our eyes off the hatred being perpetuated against Muslims.”

But it also highlights the close work the council does with other religious groups as well as organisations like West Yorkshire Police and Bradford Council.

The report says: “Decades of diminishing opportunities have broken the financial backbone of the community for whom gainful employment and hard work was its saviour and strength.

“Traditional industries which once provided the life line and reasons for people coming to Bradford in the first place, have disappeared. Opportunities in the public and financial sector have also declined.

"One young person recently summed up the level of despair being felt by stating “other than takeaways and taxiing what else is there?'

"In British society, Muslims are at the bottom of the educational, economic and social ladder and we continue to slip downward at a rapid speed. Our place, position and viability in British society is under intense scrutiny."

Ayub Laher, new president of the council, said: “The thrust of our work this year will be on the increasing amount of hate crime, against Muslims and non Muslims, the ongoing problem of radicalisation and child protection.

“We also have a keen interest in education, I really want to see Bradford rising from the bottom 10 of league tables.

"We do a lot to work together with other communities, and that is something we have to continue doing."

The report says: “Educationally, despite sporadic isolated success stories our children are educationally failing or failed and held back.”

"For a city like Bradford, which has a young and growing Muslim population, educational

attainment becomes critically important for the economic and social fabric of the

City and its District. Without this any talk of social integration is an empty thought.

"Education and economic progress go hand in hand. Industries require educated, qualified and skilled workforces and those entering and leaving education need opportunities to enter paid income streams, thus fulfilling their aspirations. One without the other cannot progress."

A Bradford Council spokesman said: “It is not right to suggest that any group of Bradford children as a whole are failed or failing.

“We know from Ofsted reports and from the recent secondary school league tables that success is being achieved across all of our communities across the district.

“But we also know that there is much more to be done to achieve our goal of every child in Bradford being able to attend a school that is good or better and for all young people in the district to achieve the qualifications they need to fulfil their potential.

“The Council for Mosques is right to highlight the link between educational attainment and economic growth which is why improving the results of our schools is a top priority for this Council and for the district and we welcome everyone who can play a part in helping us to achieve this.”

Councillor Abdul Jabar, Executive Member for Neighbourhoods and Community Safety, said: “The Council for Mosques have always worked co-operatively with us to help deal with all forms of extremism.

“They have provided support to help maintain calm when far right groups come to the district and have helped to communicate positive messages encouraging people not to react to provocation. The Council for Mosques also provides specific support to Mosques which may have been targeted by far right groups.

“All forms of hate crime are of concern to Bradford Council. Through our Safer and Stronger Communities Partnership we commission work for Bradford Hate Crime Alliance to support victims of hate crime and to run a network of reporting centres across the district. All faith based hate is a priority for us and we would encourage all victims to report incidents to the Police or to Bradford Hate Crime Alliance.”

Superintendent Daniel Greenwood, Operations lead for Bradford District Police, said: “Police in Bradford take hate crime and hate incidents seriously as they can have a significant effect on the victims, their families and the wider community.

“Each incident is investigated thoroughly to determine the circumstances and what action should be taken.

“Officers also work in partnership with groups like the Council for Mosques to tackle hate crime and encourage reporting of incidents, so they can be investigated further.”

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