The British - of Bengali origin - Sultana Tavadar said that she is happy to be appointed as an advisor to the Queen of the country, which is the highest position any lawyer can reach in England, adding that it is an appreciation from the state for her efforts.
Sultana is the first hijabi criminal lawyer to hold the position of Queen's Counsellor, and the second hijabi lawyer to hold this position.
She indicated during an interview with the "Evening" program on Al Jazeera Mubasher, on Saturday evening, that she faced several difficulties in her career in the legal field, including stereotyping and prejudice against women and veiled Muslim women.
There are 575 women appointed to the position of Queen's Counsellor, 34 of whom are from minorities.
Sultana Tavadar confirmed that it never occurred to her to give up her hijab, regardless of the pressures she faced, and continued, "My hijab has been a greater support in my career."
Sultana Tavadar... The first veiled lawyer to take over the position of Queen's Counsellor in Britain pic.twitter.com/D4fEec0Vw0
- Al Jazeera Mubasher (@ajmubasher) April 9, 2022
Sultana Tavadar is leading an international legal initiative to end the headscarf ban in France, and this year she will argue to the United Nations that the French government is violating international law.
She told Al Jazeera Mubasher, "There is an explicit violation of women's rights in France in particular, and French law prevents women from working in court while wearing the hijab, according to the decision of the Supreme Court, and this is an attack on personal and civil rights."
"We must put pressure on France to stop the practices that restrict the freedom to wear the headscarf," she added.
In previous statements, she said, "I will file a claim with the United Nations that the French government is violating international law."
Sultana specialized in human rights, international law and criminal justice, and about her personal and professional career, she said, “My access to the position was not easy, it was a long and arduous journey.”
Sultana Tavadar is a human rights, international law and criminal justice lawyer who specializes in counter-terrorism and national security issues. She is the middle daughter of two immigrants who moved to the UK from Bangladesh, and was born in Luton, near London.