A RESPECTED member of the Ipswich Bangladeshi Support Centre who spent much of his time teaching school children of the Muslim faith has died.Azizur Rahman, 73, also owned and ran the Koh-I-noor restaurant, in Upper Orwell Street, and was honoured to have Sir Bobby Robson and the Ipswich Town Football open it in 1975.

A RESPECTED member of the Ipswich Bangladeshi Support Centre who spent much of his time teaching school children of the Muslim faith has died.

Azizur Rahman, 73, also owned and ran the Koh-I-noor restaurant, in Upper Orwell Street, and was honoured to have Sir Bobby Robson and the Ipswich Town Football open it in 1975.

Mr Rahman, of Sinclair Drive, came to Ipswich in 1959 where he met and married his Italian wife Antonietta, in 1965.

He had three sons - Yakub, who lives in Liverpool; Yosuf, who lives in Sussex; and Ayub, who still lives in Ipswich. He also had two grandchildren - Amelie and Noah, both a year old.

Ayub Rahman said: "As a devout Muslim he worked hard to get rid of the prejudice and myths surrounding the religion.

"He visited many schools to give talks on the subject, stood as a school govenor and helped both the Ipswich Borough Council and Suffolk County Council when dealing with the Muslim religion.

"At the heart he was a family man and was devoted to my mother and us sons. He will sadly be missed by all who knew him."

Mahbub Shamim, treasurer of the Bangladeshi Support Centre, said: "He was an active member of the centre and was on the management committee. He had been involved with the centre since 1998 and his commitment to the cause was reflected in the numbers who attended his funeral."

His community activities included acting as a lay visitor to police stations and Hollesley Bay Young Offenders Institution.

Mr Rahman suddenly died on April 7.

His funeral was held at the Mosque, in Bond Street, Ipswich, with a memorial service to be held later on in the year.