IN CONVERSATION WITH SHABIR RANDEREE
Last month it was announced that The British Muslim Trust (BMT) will now lead England and Wales’ national monitoring of anti-Muslim hate crime, following a change in government funding arrangements.
This appointment, which was confirmed by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) following a rigorous six-week competitive grant process for its Combatting Hate Against Muslims Fund, places BMT at the helm of this critical initiative.
In explaining this decision, a MHCLG spokesperson told The Muslim News,“We had several strong applicants… The British Muslim Trust scored well across all [16] criteria. They demonstrated a strong understanding of the diversity within Muslim communities and how different groups are affected by anti-Muslim hate, along with a credible plan to reach and support British Muslims across England.”
This vital national role will be delivered through a partnership between the Randeree Charitable Trust and the Aziz Foundation, led by Shabir Randeree CBE, Chair of the BMT .
Against this backdrop, as the new body prepares to launch this autumn, it faces significant scrutiny to demonstrate its ability to build public trust, maintain operational independence, provide effective victim support and deliver accurate, community-informed insights.
In a written interview with The Muslim News addressing these responsibilities, Randeree explicitly stressed BMT’s commitments to data transparency and safeguarding independence.
What principles will guide the BMT’s approach to transparency, governance, and building community trust — and how will these shape your work?
I, and others, were approached about this work by members of the community because there was a growing sense that anti-Muslim hate in this country was not being recorded correctly, and because of that, correct protections weren’t in place, and victims, as well as the wider public, were losing out. But this is a new era, and our goal is simple: to deliver the best service for victims and communities affected by anti-Muslim hate that this country has ever seen.
To do that, we know we must win public trust. That means speaking with authority – and we can only do that if our data is robust, our processes are transparent, and we demonstrate that our reporting and analysis are fair, accurate, and insightful.
Ultimately, we will have to show that our work has a significant impact in helping to tackle anti-Muslim hatred across the UK. We are committed to transparency and to rigorous governance from day one. That’s why we’re building in strong oversight, clear lines of accountability, and working in partnership with credible, trusted organisations across the country.
Everything we do will be shaped by the needs of the communities we serve, ensuring that we deliver the level of service victims need and the public deserves.
How will the BMT ensure rigorous data privacy and full transparency while working in close collaboration with government bodies?
Protecting the privacy of those who report to us is absolutely critical to our work — and we take it incredibly seriously. If people cannot trust us to keep their data and their personal details safe, then they cannot trust us to do our job, and we will fail.
We are putting in place strict protocols to ensure that all data is handled with the highest level of confidentiality and in full compliance with data protection laws. We will be registering with the Information Commissioner’s Office to ensure that we comply with GDPR and data protection laws. We will put in place processes to make sure that we always get prior approval before sharing anything with the police. And the data we share publicly will always be aggregated and anonymized, so individuals’ privacy is protected.
When it comes to transparency, we are absolutely clear, this work can only be effective if our approach is out in the open and available for scrutiny. So, we will publish regular reports and methodologies so that the public can see how we receive, verify, and analyse the data that comes into us.
How confident is the BMT that it can maintain operational independence and avoid government interference, particularly given its funding through the Combatting Hate Against Muslims Fund? What safeguards have been put in place?
Operational independence is essential to maintaining community trust and support, and therefore, our ability to do the work. We hope and expect that ministers see that, and we were very clear during the tender process that that’s how we see it, and that’s how we will operate.
We would not have taken on this role without cast-iron guarantees that our independence is protected. That principle is reflected in the terms of our funding and in the structures, we’ve put in place to govern how we work.
We are building in safeguards at every level with independent oversight, a qualified and respected board of trustees, and a commitment to keep our work open to scrutiny. May I also repeat that our role is to serve the public and to stand with victims – nothing must compromise that.
How will the BMT rebuild trust within Muslim communities and maintain accountability to them, while leveraging its partnerships and grassroots experience to safeguard its autonomy and resist political pressures?
For too long, anti-Muslim hate has not been accurately reported in the UK. BMT aims to change that — by listening to communities, amplifying their voices, and working with partners, we will ensure that no one is left to face hate crime alone. Though it may sound very ambitious, we want to help shape a more inclusive and united Britain for all. Ultimately, though, our work will have to speak for itself. We need to show that we are providing a gold standard for monitoring hate crime. Over the long term, that’s the only way to earn trust, and we don’t take that for granted.
Reaching out and into the community and maintaining an ongoing and open dialogue is going to be key, and that work has already started. As I write, we are finalising plans to work with Faith Associates and other partners to hold events and engagements with communities all over the country.
Accountability is very important to us. We are working towards setting up BMT as a charity, with all the standard charitable practices required. We will be transparent about our senior staff, research, insight and data. We are setting up advisory panels and steering groups to ensure our work is properly scrutinised at every stage. Ultimately, we will be judged on the work, and the work will be out in the open for all to see.
And finally, let’s be clear on political pressure, from all sides. We are clear what our job is and how we will do it. We will monitor anti-Muslim hatred in this country by working with and listening to all those involved and will never lose sight of why we took this on – to serve our communities.
Is the BMT open to working with all Muslim organisations, or are there some it would choose not to engage with?
Our primary job is to monitor anti-muslim hatred. When it comes to the victims, it doesn’t matter who they are or what they believe in or what community they belong to; we will work with them and support them. That’s where our primary focus is, on the victims, on the evidence, and on building solutions. That means working with a broad range of groups and maintaining clear principles about who we partner with and why.
We are committed to working with organisations that are trusted by the communities they serve and that share our commitment to tackling anti-Muslim hate in a constructive, inclusive way.
Will the BMT also offer legal support to victims of Islamophobia and Islamophobic attacks?
The British Muslim Trust has been appointed to undertake independent monitoring of anti-Muslim hate, engage with affected communities, and publish regular public reports based on robust data and analysis — and that is exactly what we will do. We won’t duplicate services already provided elsewhere, but we will signpost and support victims to access legal and emotional support where appropriate.
What obstacles do you expect to face from right-wing and other organisations in the course of your work?
Tackling anti-Muslim hatred in a serious, credible and lasting way will require rigour, transparency and trust. We know people will have reasonable questions about how we work, and we’re committed to answering them, showing that we are the right people to do this job, by building confidence through what we deliver.
At the same time, we are focused on the task at hand. Our priority is to stand with victims, support communities, and provide the country with the clearest possible picture of how anti-Muslim hatred is playing out – and how we can challenge it together. That’s where we will stay focused.
What experience do the Randeree Charitable Trust, and the Aziz Foundation have that qualifies them to undertake this task?
The BMT team has a decades-long track record of experience and success in this field, building trust across the UK.
Through the Aziz Foundation and RCT. We have extensive networks reaching into Muslim communities throughout the country and will be able to leverage the longstanding trust built on that work. And let’s not forget our CEO, Akeela Ahmed MBE, brings more than 20 years of experience as a social entrepreneur and grassroots campaigner to the role.
We bring the experience and expertise to do the job, and the networks and connections to hit the ground running.
What motivated the Randeree Charitable Trust and the Aziz Foundation to take on this challenging role? Were you approached by the government to assume this responsibility?
The victims of anti-Muslim hatred must be given full confidence that their experiences will be properly monitored and acted upon. That’s not just important for the British Muslim community, by the way, that’s important for everyone in the UK.
I’ll be completely frank; we weren’t approached by the government; we were approached by individuals and groups across the community because there was a growing sense that victims of anti-Muslim hate weren’t getting the service they needed. Our interest in this comes from the ground up. We saw and heard experiences of a real gap where a high-quality service is needed to be, and we decided to act.
At the BMT, our mission is clear: tackling anti-Muslim hatred and Islamophobia and Amplifying Hope, and that’s what we intend to do.
EDITORIAL CORRECTION NOTICE: An earlier version of this article included a question concerning the British Muslim Trust’s approach following "Tell MAMA’s defunding." It has since been clarified that Tell MAMA voluntarily chose not to continue its partnership with the government and declined an extension of funding for the period April to September 2025. Government and ministerial statements affirm that there are no issues regarding Tell MAMA’s transparency or governance, as detailed in the following official sources:Tell MAMA -Coursing a Path of Independence from GovernmentTell MAMA is a Key Partner With Government on Tackling Anti-Muslim Hatred
The question has been removed, and the article updated accordingly.
We apologise for any confusion caused.
