Where is Bangladeshi Bride Saira Now? Story of Her Marriage to Britain's Most Violent Prisoner

Bangladeshi Woman's Unseen Story: The Shocking Marriage to Britain's Most Violent Prisoner- The extraordinary life of Fatima Saira Rahman, also known as Saira Ali Ahmed, unfolds as a testament to resilience, unexpected connections, and the harsh realities faced by an immigrant woman in the UK. Born into a middle-class family in Habiganj, Bangladesh, Saira's journey took a dramatic turn when she married Britain's most notorious prisoner, Charles Bronson.

At just 18, Saira entered into an arranged marriage with a British-Bangladeshi man residing in the UK, whom she met for the very first time on their wedding day. Her dreams quickly shattered upon her arrival in the UK. She endured incessant physical abuse, vile verbal assaults, and beatings, even for her inability to cook. The most harrowing incident occurred when she was eight months pregnant; her husband violently pushed her down the stairs. Writhing in agony, Saira silently wiped her tears, with nowhere to turn and no one to confide in, questioning if this was truly what life in Britain entailed.

In 1991, after three days of agonizing labor, Saira gave birth to a daughter at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead, London. With the crucial assistance of a hospital translator, she courageously fled to a shelter and subsequently initiated divorce proceedings.

Charles Bronson: Britain's Most Notorious Inmate

Charles Bronson, widely dubbed "Britain's most violent prisoner" and "Britain's most notorious criminal" by the British media, possesses a long and turbulent history. His criminal activities and violent behavior have led to an astonishing 150 prison transfers, and he has spent 22 of his 27 years incarcerated in solitary confinement.

Bronson's first significant sentence was seven years in prison in 1974 for armed robbery. However, his violent conduct persisted within prison walls. He consistently engaged in violence, taking multiple inmates hostage, assaulting prison guards, and staging dramatic protests on prison roofs. In 2000, his actions escalated, resulting in a life imprisonment sentence for dragging a prison education officer with a shoelace around his neck.

How Saira Fell for Bronson

In 1998, Saira found herself unexpectedly captivated by a photograph of Charles Bronson in a local newspaper. "The first time I saw his picture, I couldn't get it out of my mind. It was a feeling that cannot be expressed in words. My feelings were so intense that I wanted to pursue them," Saira recounted. After harboring these profound feelings for three years, she took the step of initiating correspondence with Bronson through letters in 2001.

"I thought he receives countless letters every day, and mine would probably be discarded," Saira recalled. "But to my surprise, a few weeks later, he replied. In the letter, he asked about me and my daughter." After several more exchanges, Saira sent a photograph of herself so Bronson would clearly know who was writing to him.

Saira and Bronson had their first meeting on March 4, 2001, at Woodhill Prison. Following nine visits over a period of three months, they were married in June 2001 at Milton Keynes Prison. Her 10-year-old daughter proudly served as a bridesmaid at the wedding.

After their wedding, Saira shared, "Charles told me I changed him. What prison couldn't change in 30 years, I did." Following their marriage, Bronson converted to Islam, adopting the name Ali Charles Ahmed. He expressed a deep desire to learn more about Islam, and their future plans even included settling permanently in Bangladesh.

Saira's family surprisingly supported their relationship. Her mother and brother regularly corresponded with Bronson through letters. Saira noted, "My family is not concerned about his skin color, because this is the first time they've seen me truly happy." Saira's daughter, Samio, also grew to love Bronson and affectionately called him "Dad."

However, their relationship quickly became challenging after the marriage. Prison authorities immediately erected a glass barrier between them post-wedding, preventing them from any physical contact. Saira expressed her frustration, "We could touch each other before the wedding, but after the marriage, the prison authorities separated us. I wrote to my MP and asked why we couldn't meet in the same room."

Adding to her difficulties, Saira lost her job as a result of her marriage to Bronson. She was dismissed from the women's shelter where she worked, as her marriage was deemed to go against the institution's policies.

In 2005, Saira's autobiographical book, Breaking Free: The True Story of a Survivor, was published. In the book, she openly chronicled her life's journey, making a poignant statement: "Charles Bronson is not a murderer, not a child killer, not an abuser of women. He is simply a different kind of man who fought for his love."

Their divorce occurred abruptly in 2005. The current whereabouts and activities of Saira Rahman remain unknown.