Ms Akter, 27, died after being fatally stabbed on Westgate, Bradford, at 3.21pm on April 6.
A vigil to remember Kulsuma Akter was held in Bradford today. (Image: Newsquest)
About 100 people gathered in Centenary Square on the steps of City Hall to hold a vigil to remember Ms Akter and her death with a minute’s silence at 3.21pm.
“We are here today to mark the death of Kulsuma Akter,” said Rachel McMahon, one of the vigil organisers. “This day is about showing us care about what happens in our city and to take action. Her life mattered.”
Rachel McMahon, one of the organisers, addresses the crowd at the vigil of Kulsuma Akter. (Image: Newsquest)
Yasmin Aslam, domestic abuse and community engagement lead for Ashiana Sheffield, a domestic abuse and human trafficking service which supports victims, said: “I want to thank everyone who has organized this.
“It’s so important that when we do have a tragic death like Kulsuma’s we talk about it for a day or two and then a few months later we forget about it. But we will not forget Kulsuma.
“Kulsuma was described by her friends and sisters as a caring, loving and compassionate person, someone who was the first person who would be there to help and give a helping hand, and she was the best mum to her son.”
A heart with flowers at the vigil of Kulsuma Akter. (Image: Newsquest)
Yasmin Aslam, also from Ashiana Sheffield, added: “We support women from black and minority communities and refugees.
“We need to protect women who do not have status.
“Kulsuma’s death should not be in vain.
“Everyone needs to take responsibility, men and women. If they see someone suffering, be a voice for that person.
“You have a responsibility to intervene if you see abuse happening. If not, you are complicit.”
Naz Shah, MP for Bradford West, said: “I’m a campaigner against gender-based violence.
“This is over. This will never be ok. We have to stamp it out as a society.
“We demand safety and equality for all of these women.
“This has to be a societal and cultural change.”
Members of a crowd bow their heads during a minute’s silence to remember Kulsuma Akter. (Image: Newsquest)
After the vigil, Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “I saw so many people weeping. We are sad, we are furious.
“We are sick to death from the abuse of women across the country.
“We need societal change. Men, we need you by our side.”
Another woman addressed the crowd, saying: “It’s really upsetting there’s not enough rage in Bradford.
“What kind of world do you want your daughters to live in?
“Bradford is known as a city of sanctuary, but I’m going to ask you ‘what sanctuary did she find’?”
As the vigil finished, calling everyone to action Ms McMahon said: “We’re going to move into protest mode because we’re angry and upset.
“We need to keep raising this issue and raising our voices.”
Ms McMahon also told the T&A: “I hope we have shown that Kulsuma’s life mattered and that Bradford cares.
“We came together as a group of individuals because we wanted to make sure that all women matter.
“Every life matters. Every woman’s death matters.
“We need to make Bradford a City of Culture that cares.”
