Dhaka, May 8 -- A Bangladeshi-origin Labour politician has become the new mayor of Newham, a London borough that is home to a sizeable population of migrants, including Bengalis.

Voting was held on Thursday across London's 32 borough councils, with five councils electing mayors and councillors through direct voting.

With his victory, Forhad is now the only Bengali mayor elected through a mainstream political party in Britain.

The first Bengali mayor in the UK was Tower Hamlets Mayor Lutfur Rahman, who was elected as an independent candidate.

Lutfur is contesting again this year to retain the Tower Hamlets mayoralty, though results there have yet to be announced.

He is facing Labour candidate Sirajul Islam, independent candidate Jami ...