LIFE, it was written, “is measured in love and positive contributions and moments of grace”.
And when I met with Limerick’s new Metropolitan District Cathaoirleach, Cllr Abul Kalam Azad Talukder, during the Muslim Eid celebrations recently, I was really struck by the fact that this is how he greets the world each and every day.
The Bangladeshi father-of-two, who has called Limerick home for the past 24 years, made history last month when he was elected as the new leader of the Metropolitan District, a role that many of us of a certain vintage will always look upon as that of City Mayor.
Affectionately known as ‘Jackie’, the man oozes positivity and good vibes. He has a killer smile and a refreshing worldview that simply bowls you over, especially in these cynical and increasingly hateful times. It is an absolute tonic to spend time in his company.
The first Muslim ever to be elected as Limerick Cathaoirleach, the Fianna Fáil representative for City West was first elected to the Council in 2019 after campaigning to be a voice for migrant communities.
The 54-year-old taxi driver works tirelessly, not only for Limerick’s migrant communities, but for all in his electorate area. However, Azad firmly believes that his political success is a huge positive for those in his own community and he uses his station to show the importance of making a positive contribution to your adopted home.
This above all things, seems to be his driving force, and the message he wants to convey to a younger generation.
“Sometimes when I am dealing with a migrant issue, people think I am only talking on migrant issues, but I am not only working for migrants. It is for the future I am working, because what I believe is that if we don’t integrate now, what’s going to happen?” Azad ponders over our early morning coffee.
“When I was elected as Deputy Mayor in 2021, there was protests in Dublin that some Muslim is taking over Limerick. Thank God this time I don’t see any of this negativity.
“Now I have a lot better to do and my attentions are turned towards working for Limerick. I don’t want to waste my positive energy.”
A positive man focused on positivity. And Azad explains his quite simple rationale for this:
“I always think positive because being a migrant, a Muslim, a lot of negative things come into it. But I know what I am doing in politics. I am working for our children and for a better Limerick. I am not doing this for myself or my family, I am doing it for the community and for the city. That’s why I am not too worried about all the negativity.
“In 24 years in this country, I have never been without a job. In this situation, what I believe is, if I want to do something for myself, I can do it through my business, through working. But I am thinking above that. I am thinking a little bit bigger.
“I want to see the young generation follow and if they take that step, that will be my success.”
On the day of Cllr Talukder’s elevation to the role of Metropolitan Cathaoirleach, it was evident, across the council chamber, across party lines, how well loved Azad is by his council colleagues. It’s not often you witness this kind of warmth at local authority meetings, but after a short time in his company it is easy to see why he is so popular.
I ask him about his nickname and whether it is only his Fianna Fáil colleagues that call him Jackie.
“Before I came to this country, I was known as Jackie. As you know my name is very long and nobody can remember it. When I was living in Malaysia, I was at one interview, I was maybe 19-years-old, and I got the job. But my boss’ problem was what to call me. I got the job and everything, and he said: ‘You are very good for the job and that’s no problem, but I don’t know how to call you. Can we make it short?’
“At that time, I was watching lots of Bollywood movies and there was one actor, his name was Jackie Shroff. He was my favourite. So I said, ‘okay, call me Jackie’. I used to love Jackie Chan also, but Jackie Shroff was my favourite actor. So before I came to Ireland, I was called Jackie. I brought the name with me.
After 24 years in the Treaty City, Jackie is very much a Limerick man and a prouder one you are unlikely to meet. The very mention of the recent All-Ireland Senior Hurling Semi-Final clash between Limerick and Galway sees him become hugely animated.
“I remember many years ago I had been to a local hurling match, maybe 20 years ago, and people weren’t watching the hurling, they were watching me.
“It was a case of, ‘what’s this guy doing here?’ But now, for the younger generation, they don’t face this kind of thing. Some of them are playing hurling now. My own daughter used to play camogie for a few years. It is all very normal for them.
“I enjoy the hurling. I have been to Croke Park. I have been to Thurles. I do go to the matches. I still remember two years ago when Limerick played against Galway in the semi-final and that Galway free in the last minute. I remember watching the player and thank God he missed it, but still I remember that. I can feel the tension go through my blood.”
“I feel like a Limerick man. It’s in my blood now. When I watch the hurling matches and if Limerick score I cannot keep quiet. My celebration just comes automatically.”
Limerick, he insists, is a city that looks beyond colour, ethnicity, and religion. His election as Cathaoirleach of the Metropolitan District, Jackie maintains, is the proof of this pudding.
“In this world, over the last number of years, when you are a Muslim, people always stop and go ‘here’s the Muslim’, unfortunately. I don’t blame anyone but in Limerick they have moved past all this and I feel very happy for what happened on the day I was elected as Cathaoirleach of the Metropolitan District.
“I remember around 21-years-ago, I was in Dublin because my brother used to work in the Red Cow. At that time I was very new and I went to meet a few of my brother’s friends, who were native of Dublin, and they asked me where I live. I told them I live in Limerick, and they said: ‘LIMERICK? You seriously live in Limerick?’
“This was the kind of impression they gave of Limerick. At that time I was shocked and thinking maybe I made a wrong turn, that maybe I had made the wrong decision to come to Limerick. But after 24 years, I know I made the right decision.
Azad explains how he made the long journey to Limerick from his native home.
“I was born in Bangladesh but I moved quite young. I moved in 1990 from Bangladesh to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. I was working in a bar there, and studying, and then somebody told me that they are hiring people in Ireland.
“At that time I didn’t know much about Ireland. The only thing I knew about Ireland was the IRA. The only thing we saw in the news back then about Ireland was the bombings and the IRA. One friend warned me that there was a lot of political tension there and then I spoke to other people and they told me, ‘no, it is a very peaceful country, very good people’.
“The reason this came into my head is that sometimes people outside don’t know, we only see what the media present to us. But when I came here I saw that it was a totally different experience from what some people had been telling me. Irish people are very friendly and very easy to talk to, and very welcoming. That has always been my experience.”
Top of Cllr Talukder’s to-do list for his year as Metropolitan Cathaoirleach is to see an integration officer installed on the staff of Limerick City and County Council to offer “easy access” for migrants arriving in Limerick and to help them with the transition.
“Unfortunately, Limerick has a lot of undeveloped places, we already know that. What we need is for the government to put in the money to develop certain parts of Limerick for communities.
“In the same way, we must do the same for the migrant community, because if you don’t give them the opportunity to come together, that community will destroy itself. That’s why it is better bringing them together, otherwise, in 20 years, it’s too late.
“I work with the Irish Immigration Council and we are trying to bring more migrants into politics,” he adds.
“I enjoy the day to day of the job. My family is very helpful, especially my wife (Shahana Akter). Without her I couldn’t do this job as I have young children, 16 (Amirah) and 7 (Tashfia) years old. It’s not easy, you know. But she is very supportive.
“When I first tried to run in the election, a few good friends said, ‘don’t run, they will never vote for you here’, and I said, ‘no, what you see from your eye, I see in a different way’.
And see it in a different way he does. Where many see an obstacle, he sees a goal to be achieved.
“Every year I organise the younger people and we have a party after the Leaving Cert for them. I do this every year, especially for the migrant background kids, because I believe this country gives us education, equal facilities to everybody, it doesn’t matter if you are native children or you are migrant family. So, it is very important for me to show them that they are part of this society, part of this community.
“If we cannot show them we are part of this community, what’s going to happen? They are going to take all their education from this country and then say ‘bye-bye’. They won’t have feelings for Ireland.
“So I bring a few speakers from the migrant community to speak to them on how to integrate into society and how important it is to work together.
“If you live in Limerick then you should work for Limerick. Even if it is only a small thing, you should do something. Then you can feel you are part of society, part of this community.
Cllr Talukder’s favourite place in Limerick is along the banks of the River Shannon. He tells me that he likes to do the Three Bridges Walk whenever he gets the chance.
“I came from Bangladesh where there is lots of rivers. You go anywhere and there’s the river. Limerick doesn’t have any sea beach or anything like that. You have to drive one and a half hours to get to the nearest one — Kilkee or Lahinch or Ballybunion. But we have such a wonderful river around our city so we should do something more with it.
“We had a workshop and we are thinking about doing something along the riverfront. The architect showed us what they are doing in countries like Norway, Sweden, and Holland, and we are seeing lots of interesting projects that we can learn from.
“A lot of other cities have river cruises, so maybe we can do something to use this river more for tourists to come — even local tourists,” he suggests.
It’s clear how much Cllr Talukder loves his adopted city, and clear with it why the feeling is mutual among those who have met the man.
Jackie has a great outlook and philosophy for life, and I come away from him with a bounce in my step. His positivity is infectious.
Azad ‘Jackie’ Talukder, I think to myself, is one decent human being working to be the change he wants to see in his own patch of the world in Limerick City.
May the road rise to meet him.
