A Kent restaurateur is aiming to raise £50,000 to help the plight of persecuted Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, Burma.

It comes as Sir Bob Geldof, who lives in Faversham, returns the Freedom of the City of his home town of Dublin today as it has previously been awarded to Burmese politician Aung San Suu Kyi.

Ajmol Ali, who is leading the campaign with the Bangladesh Welfare Association (BWA), has previously drummed up support for the Hospice in the Weald in Tunbridge Wells and for those hit by Cyclone Sidr when it hit Bangladesh in 2007.

The event will see more than 60 restaurants and takeaways across Kent, as well as elsewhere in the country, host their own individual charity evenings on Wednesday, November 22.

Half of the proceeds will then be donated to BWA, where Mr Ali is a secretary, while the eateries use the other half to cover their costs.

Mr Ali said: "We've invited various restaurants to take part and they will be encouraged to do their own charity events.

"It's a question of raising money through charity events at the restaurants.

"I find it really difficult to talk about what's going on," - Ajmol Ali, Secretary of the Bangladesh Welfare Association

"I'm from Bangladesh but what's going on in Myanmar is one of the worst genocides taking place and I find it really difficult to talk about what's going on because its so horrific.

"It means a lot to us, anything to put a smile on someone's face and help someone that'll go a night without eating."

The United Nations International Organisation for Migration (UNIOM) say there are now more than 817,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

They are said to be targeted by "government sanctioned groups and the army," according to the BWA.

President of BWA Kamal J Miah said: "The BWA is spearheading the fundraiser in a purely humanitarian capacity.

"We may not be able to change what's happening in Myanmar, but with the collective effort of our participating restaurants, and the generous support of the local communities across the various regions, we believe we can help the refugees currently in Bangladesh."

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