FOBANA’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Los Angeles on Sunday
Chhabed Sathee, from Los Angeles: Robiul Karim Belal, Chairperson of the Executive Committee of the Federation of Bangladeshi Associations in North America (FOBANA), has called for transforming FOBANA from a personality-centered organization into a strong, transparent and accountable institution.
Speaking on organizational matters at FOBANA’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Los Angeles on Sunday, September 6, Belal said leadership will change over time, but organizational experience, financial discipline, policies, institutional records and long-term plans must not disappear with changes in leadership.
“FOBANA does not belong to any individual. It does not belong to any chairperson, executive secretary or even a particular executive committee. FOBANA is an institution,” he said.
The meeting was conducted by Executive Committee Member Secretary Khaled Ahmed Rauf.
Belal said the AGM should not be limited to a constitutional formality. Instead, it should serve as an effective platform for self-assessment, evaluation and accountability. He emphasized the need for a culture in which officials explain why plans were not implemented, take responsibility for failures and clarify any lack of transparency in financial matters.
He said asking questions should not be viewed as opposition, nor should constructive criticism be treated as hostility. Differences of opinion, he added, should be recognized as a strength of a democratic organization.
Belal said work is underway on “FOBANA Vision 2040,” a long-term initiative aimed at making the organization more modern, transparent and sustainable over the coming decades.
He said Vision 2040 is neither an individual’s plan nor a program limited to the tenure of the current executive committee. The initiative will focus on institutional reform, transparent financial management, digital membership systems, credible elections, organizational compliance, grievance and ethics review mechanisms, development of new leadership and continuity in long-term policies.
He said FOBANA’s goal should go beyond organizing a successful annual convention and focus instead on building a strong and sustainable institution.
Emphasizing the need to strengthen confidence in FOBANA’s election and membership systems, Belal said eligibility requirements for member organizations should be clearly defined, membership renewal records should be maintained digitally, voter eligibility should be verified in advance and equal rules should apply to all candidates.
He said elections should be conducted in a manner that allows not only the winners but also the losing candidates and their supporters to accept the results with confidence.
Belal also proposed establishing an independent and credible grievance and ethics review mechanism. Complaints, he said, should be resolved based on facts, evidence and established rules rather than personal relationships, political positions or internal group affiliations.
Belal called for greater involvement of second- and third-generation Bangladeshi Americans in FOBANA’s future leadership.
He said simply inviting young people to programs will not develop future leaders. They must be given responsibilities and opportunities to participate in decision-making and project management.
He also emphasized utilizing the expertise of the younger generation in technology, education, law, healthcare, business, corporate management and community leadership, while ensuring meaningful participation of women in leadership roles.
As part of Vision 2040, Belal proposed discussing the creation of a permanent advisory council or Senate-like body.
He said the purpose would not be to reduce the authority of the Executive Committee or create another center of power. Rather, such a body could help maintain institutional continuity, provide policy guidance, preserve organizational history, safeguard long-term interests and offer neutral oversight when necessary.
Belal said he envisions FOBANA operating through three institutional levels: the Executive Committee would be responsible for leadership and implementation; an advisory council or Senate would provide continuity, guidance and oversight; and the AGM and general membership would remain the organization’s highest constitutional authority.
Belal also stressed the need to establish a permanent institutional archive and digital governance system to preserve FOBANA’s past decisions, audits, policies, histories of member organizations, and legal and organizational records.
He outlined priorities for the coming year, including digitizing organizational documents, increasing transparency in financial management, modernizing membership verification and renewal, involving the younger generation in leadership, evaluating the performance of various committees and developing a practical roadmap for Vision 2040.
Belal said competition within FOBANA should not center on individuals or positions, but rather on who can offer better policies, engage the next generation and make the organization stronger and more transparent.
Toward the end of his remarks, he said, “We will learn from the past, manage the present responsibly and build a strong institution for the future.”
“If we focus only on making the next convention successful, we will create an event. But if we think about 2040 and the generations beyond, we can create history,” he added.
“Let us make the institution bigger than the individual, responsibility bigger than the position, contribution bigger than competition, and legacy bigger than leadership,” Belal said.
Among those who spoke at the meeting were FOBANA Executive Committee Chairperson Robiul Karim Belal, Secretary Khaled Ahmed Rauf, Vice President Mohammad Rahman Zahir, Convention Committee Convener Dr. Zainal Abedin, Executive Secretary Engineer Mohammad Iqbal, former Chairperson Masud Chowdhury Rob, Attorney Mohammad Alamgir, Rehan Reza, former Convener Hasmat Mobin, Jasim Uddin, Duke Khan, Abdus Sattar, Nahidul Khan Sahel, Mahbubur Rahim Bhuiya, Executive Committee Treasurer Mahin Uddin Dulal, Sakira Ali Bachchi, Kazi Nahid, and Joint General Secretary Anthony Gomez Pius.
