Slavery survivor’s Olympic torch dream

Mohammed Zaman arrived in London from Bangladesh in 2005

A man celebrating being given the right to remain in the UK after a 19-year wait now hopes to carry the Olympic torch in Paris next month.

Mohammed Zaman arrived in London from Bangladesh in 2005 with a visa and a job, but fell victim to modern-day slavery.

He had a sponsor, but Mr Zaman’s passport was taken away until after his visa had expired, making him a forced overstayer in the UK.

Having recently been given permission to stay, he hopes to bear the famous torch ahead of the Paralympics next month.

Two-decade wait

When Mr Zaman arrived in the UK in 2005 his sponsor forced him to work long hours for little pay.

“We worked every day, 16 or 17 hours a day, six days a week, sometimes seven days a week,” he told BBC London. “Around nine to 10 people used to live in two rooms.”

He was threatened with violence, and his abusive employer used his details to take out loans in Mr Zaman’s name.

He eventually escaped and went to the police, but has spent the past two decades trying to regularise his immigration status.

With no recourse to public funds and no right to work after his visa expired, he spent his time volunteering at major sporting events in the capital.

Mr Zaman was one of the select group of people to carry the 2022 Commonwealth Games baton and also worked at the 2012 London Olympics.

In October, BBC London told Mohammed’s story. Since then, an appeal judge agreed he should be allowed to stay in the UK and the Home Office then granted him Leave to Remain.

“I will work, I will live, I will have freedom,” Mr Zaman says.

Mr Zaman carrying the Commonwealth Games baton

In recognition of his volunteering, he was invited to be a torchbearer at the Paris Olympics, and should have carried the Olympic flame in the city last Saturday.

However, his Bangladeshi passport has long since expired and an emergency travel document from the Home Office could not be issued in time to allow him to go.

The Olympic authorities in Paris have given him a new date of 28 August, for the opening of the Paralympics.

To make it there in time, Mr Zaman will need to receive an urgent travel document either from the Home Office or the Bangladeshi High Commission, as well an emergency French visa.

Handball player Nikola Karabatic holds the 2024 Paris Olympics torch

Mr Zaman hopes the new date will give him enough time to renew his Bangladeshi passport.

“There are 100,000 people nominated from around the world and only 10,000 people [are] selected to run with Olympic torch,” he says.

“I am really lucky and thanks to those who nominated me. I am really grateful to all of them.”