Staff Reporter: Leaders and activists of Metro Washington Awami League have protested against the incident of a Bangladeshi woman living living in Maryland, USA, hanging a picture of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s picture on saree under her knee and walking around in front of hundreds of spectators.
Senior Co-Convener Parveen Patwari, one of the organizers of the 35th conference of the Federation of Bangladeshi Associations in North America (FOBANA) held in Maryland on November 26, saw the picture of Bangabandhu printed on the hem of her sari hanging below her knees. Liberation War Affairs Minister Bir Muktijoddha A. K. M. Mozammel Haque, Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States and local Metro Washington Awami League leaders and activists. Seeing this scene, the leaders and workers of Metro Washington Awami League immediately verbally complained to the Minister of Liberation War Affairs and the convener of Fobana GI Russell. Vice President Nurul Amin Nuru, Mohammad Azam Azad, Md. Alamgir and Joint General Secretary Md. Faridul Islam were present at the time.
Md. Faridul Islam, Joint-General Secretary of Metro Washington Awami League, said that at the inaugural function of the 35th Fobana Conference, senior co-convener Parveen Patwari had a picture of Bangabandhu printed on her saree below her knees. No one dared to say anything to her. Not only that, this incident has also utterly insulted Bangabandhu’s image. Immediately we discussed the matter with the Liberation War Affairs Minister Bir Muktijoddha A. K. M. Mozammel assured Haque that he would take action for the incident of complained. At the same time, the leaders and activists including Faridul Islam informed convener GI Russell about the matter. They said that many people were angry with Parveen Patwari for wearing saree with Bangabandhu’s picture printed on the saree. She should not go to give flowers to the minister. And if she go to give flowers, then the ceremony will be disrupted. In his words, GI Russell stopped Parveen Patwari from giving flowers. Leaders and activists of the Metro Washington Awami League have expressed their anger and condemnation for such a heinous incident on behalf of the organizers of the Fobana conference.
It is learned that in the year 2019, the organizing committee of the 35th conference of the Federation of Bangladeshi Associations in North America (FOBANA) was given to the American Bangladesh Friendship Society (ABFS) in the metro Washington DC area. After taking charge, convener GI Russell and member secretary Shibbir Ahmed selected local expatriate Bangladeshi Parveen Patwari as senior co-convener. For the past two years, they have been extorting large sums of money in the name of patronage at home and abroad, gifting a low-quality Fobana conference to US expatriates. Which has become a laughing stock throughout the United States. The Fobana Conference, which started on 26th November, ended on 28th November with extreme mismanagement, irregularities, extreme negligence towards the artisans and patrons. Hundreds of viewers complained that no one in the history of the United States had seen such a bad fobana before.
On the opening day of the three-day Fobana Conference, the chief guest was the Minister for Liberation War Affairs, Bir Muktijoddha A. K. M. Mozammel Haque including Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States in front of hundreds of spectators senior co-convener Parveen Patwari was embarrassed to see a printed picture of Bangabandhu on her saree hanging below her knees. If this picture recently goes viral through social media, a storm of condemnation is raging among the expatriates including the United States Awami League.
BP/SM
