Mofozul's magnificent marathon effort
Mofozul Miah, a 48-year-old Oldham man, completed the London Marathon while wearing a traditional Bangladeshi lungi, raising £3,500 for charity. He aimed to represent his Bangladeshi heritage while embracing his Western upbringing, running with both the Bangladeshi and English flags. This was his third marathon, and he plans to continue raising funds for building homes in Bangladesh and supporting pancreatic cancer research.
Oldham Man Runs London Marathon in Traditional Bangladeshi Lungi, Raises £3,500 for Charity
A 48-year-old man from Oldham completed the London Marathon last week wearing a traditional Bangladeshi lungi, raising £3,500 for charity while representing both his heritage and his adopted home.
Mofozul Miah, who immigrated to the UK from Bangladesh in 1986 at age nine, crossed the finish line in just under six hours during his third marathon appearance. The lungi, a garment similar to a sarong worn across the Indian subcontinent, drew significant attention - with a TikTok video of his run amassing 390,000 views.
“I aimed to complete the marathon in five and a half hours, but it took me longer due to the hot weather and dehydration,” Miah said. “Everybody struggled including the other lads from Oldham such as the ‘Running Man’ Afruz Miah and two others from Rochdale.”
The inspiration for his distinctive attire came from previous marathons. “In last year’s marathon I saw two Indian women running in saris and I saw other people running in costumes so I thought why not run in a lungi,” he explained. “I had the Bangladeshi flag on one shoulder and the England flag on my other shoulder. I aimed to represent my country while maintaining my Western heritage.”
Miah, who grew up in Glodwick and couldn’t speak English when he first arrived in Britain, has used his marathon participation to support multiple causes. Over recent years, he has raised funds to build seven houses for the poor in Bangladesh and supported pancreatic cancer research after his best friend, Jewel Miah, was diagnosed with the condition.
“The older I am getting the harder it gets,” Miah admitted about marathon running, though he maintained an easy pace throughout the 26.2-mile course. “My intention was to just finish the marathon without focussing too much on the time.”
With approximately 55,000 participants, this year’s London Marathon marked one of the world’s largest running events. Miah expressed his desire to return, hoping to raise more funds for housing projects in Bangladesh. “To be among them is a great achievement and I was able to represent Bangladesh too,” he said. “My roots are in Bangladesh, but the UK has provided me with a good life.”
Miah exceeded his fundraising target of £2,500, ultimately collecting £3,500 through his marathon effort. “I can’t have asked for a better experience of running the marathon with thousands and thousands of people watching,” he reflected. “I feel proud for raising the money and becoming healthier in the process.”
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