FOBANA officials in LA
Chhabed Sathee, Back from Los Angele: The 40th Federation of Bangladeshi Associations in North America (FOBANA) Convention concluded Sunday in Los Angeles after three days of cultural performances, community gatherings and discussions, with organizers announcing that Houston will host the convention in 2027, followed by Michigan in 2028.
The milestone convention, held Sept. 4-6 at the Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City, brought together Bangladeshi Americans from California and several other states.
Officials of the host organization, the Bangladesh Association of California (BAC), described the three-day convention as a success. Some out-of-state attendees, however, expressed disappointment over what they considered lower-than-expected audience turnout.
Bangladesh’s Minister for Labour and Employment and Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, Ariful Haque Chowdhury, formally inaugurated the convention Friday evening as the chief guest.
In his remarks, Chowdhury praised FOBANA for maintaining a four-decade tradition of bringing together Bangladeshis across North America while helping preserve Bangla language, heritage and culture among younger generations.
“Expatriates are not only remittance contributors; they are also the bearers of Bangla literature and culture abroad,” Chowdhury said.
He urged Bangladeshi Americans to introduce Bangladesh’s history, heritage and cultural traditions to the wider international community while ensuring that younger generations remain connected to their roots.
The minister also called on expatriate Bangladeshis to invest in the country, pledging assistance from his ministries to prospective investors. He encouraged members of the diaspora to contact him directly if they encounter obstacles related to investment initiatives.
Following his address, Chowdhury formally declared the 40th FOBANA Convention open.
Cultural programs remained at the heart of the convention, with performances by local and visiting social and cultural organizations throughout the weekend.
On Saturday, the second day of the convention, programs continued from the afternoon until late evening before younger-generation performers Sanjay and Jhilik, known for their FIFA World Cup-related performances, took the stage.
Their performances generated an enthusiastic response, with audience members singing and dancing along as the artists performed several popular songs.
The second-day program drew Bangladeshi American community leaders, social workers, mainstream political figures, artists, journalists, business executives, sponsors and FOBANA officials.
Among those attending were FOBANA Executive Committee Chairperson Rabiul Karim Belal, Executive Secretary Khaled Ahmed Rouf, Convention Convener Dr. Zainal Abedin, President Moazzem Chowdhury, Executive Secretary Engineer Mohammad Iqbal, Media Committee Chairman Laskar Al Mamun, former Chairperson Masud Chowdhury Rob, Attorney Mohammad Alamgir, Rehan Reza, former Convener Hasmat Mobin, Nargis Ahmed, Jashim Uddin and Duke Khan.
Also present were FOBANA Treasurer Mahin Uddin Dulal, Joint General Secretary Anthony Gomes Pius, sponsor Abu Hanif and other community leaders and guests.
Attendance was comparatively lighter on Sunday, the convention’s third and final day, but performers Imran and Muza brought energy to the closing-night program.
The convention concluded Sunday night after three days of cultural programs and community activities celebrating the Bangladeshi diaspora and its connections to language, culture and heritage.
With Los Angeles marking FOBANA’s 40th convention, attention now shifts to the organization’s next two destinations: Houston in 2027 and Michigan in 2028, continuing a tradition that has brought Bangladeshi communities across North America together for four decades.
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BP/SM
