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BAC

বাংলাদেশ এসোসিয়েশন অফ শিকাগোল্যান্ড

A home for Bangladeshi culture in Chicagoland

The Bangladesh Association of Chicagoland is a volunteer-run nonprofit that has brought Bangladeshi Americans together through culture, service, and celebration since 1980. Join us to meet your neighbors, pass our heritage on to your children, and help new families from Bangladesh feel at home in Illinois.

Become a memberSee upcoming events

The Willis Tower, engineered by our founding president, Dr. Fazlur Rahman Khan.

President's Message

Portrait of Kamal Ahmed, President of the Bangladesh Association of Chicagoland

Kamal Ahmed

President (2025-2026)

Bangladesh Association of Chicagoland

Each year our president speaks to the community about what BAC stands for and where the association is headed next. This message sets out our priorities for the coming year and the simple ways you can help us reach them.

Welcome to the Bangladesh Association of Chicagoland (BAC).

It is both an honor and a privilege to serve as President of an organization that has brought together generations of Bangladeshi Americans in the Chicagoland area. For decades, BAC has been a place where our culture, traditions, values, and community spirit come together.

Our culture is the foundation that connects us. Through our language, music, food, traditions, celebrations, and shared heritage, we keep our roots alive while embracing the opportunities and experiences of life in America. It is our responsibility to preserve this heritage and pass it on to the next generation with pride.

At the heart of BAC is community and unity. We are stronger when we stand together, respect one another, and recognize that our differences can enrich rather than divide us. BAC belongs to the entire community, and our shared commitment should always be to create an environment where everyone feels welcomed, valued, and connected.

As a community, we also have an opportunity to look forward. Progress comes when we work together, support our younger generation, encourage education and leadership, strengthen our families, and build meaningful connections within the broader Chicagoland community. By sharing our talents, ideas, experiences, and resources, we can create new opportunities and help our community thrive.

I believe the future of BAC is filled with promise. With unity, participation, mutual respect, and a spirit of service, we can continue building an organization that reflects the best of our community—one that honors our past, serves our present, and prepares confidently for the future.

Let us move forward together with hope, positivity, and purpose. Let us celebrate our heritage, strengthen our bonds, support one another, and continue building a vibrant and thriving Bangladeshi-American community for generations to come.

Thank you to all the volunteers, members, leaders, families, and friends who have contributed to BAC over the years. Your dedication is what makes our community stronger.

Together, we can preserve our heritage, strengthen our community, and build a brighter future.

With warm regards,

Kamal Ahmed

President (2025-2026)

Bangladesh Association of Chicagoland (BAC)

Get involved

There are three ways to be part of BAC: join as a member, volunteer at our events, or become a sponsor. Each one has a simple online sign-up, so you choose how you help and manage it all from one account.

  • Become a member

    Join as a Regular or Patron member and pay your annual dues online. You get member pricing on tickets, a vote in BAC elections, and member-only news.

    Become a member

  • Volunteer

    Pick the events and shifts that fit your schedule and sign up in a few clicks. You get reminder emails and a record of every hour you give.

    Sign up to volunteer

  • Sponsor

    Individuals, families, and businesses can support one event or BAC's whole year. Choose a level, add a logo if you have one, and pay online; once approved, you are recognized to the community.

    Become a sponsor

  • Already a member, volunteer, or sponsor?

    Log in to see your dashboard, schedule, payments, and member-only content.

    Log in

  • Working an event today?

    Volunteers and staff on shift can check guests in by QR code or name search.

    Open event check-in

Mission and vision

Our mission and vision describe the work BAC does today and the community we are working to build for the next generation. Together they guide every program, event, and partnership that our volunteer board takes on each year.

Our mission

We preserve and share Bangladeshi culture through cultural and educational programs, and we help immigrants, students, and visitors from Bangladesh settle into American life. Members gain a community that welcomes them, teaches their children where they come from, and speaks up for their interests.

Our vision

We want a Bangladeshi American community in Chicagoland that is proud of its roots, active in civic life, and connected across generations. Every young person raised here should know our language, music, and history, and feel fully at home in both cultures.

Why BAC exists

BAC exists because a community far from home needs a place to gather, help one another, and be heard. Here are the four things we do, and what each one gives the people we serve.

  • Keep our culture alive

    We organize Independence Day, Pohela Boishakh, Victory Day, and other celebrations with music, dance, poetry, and food. Families get a place where children perform, learn Bangla songs, and see their heritage celebrated proudly in public.

  • Help newcomers settle in

    We connect immigrants, students, and visitors from Bangladesh with people who have already made the move. Newcomers get practical advice, friendly faces, and a network they can lean on during their first years in a new city.

  • Serve people in need

    We collect clothes, food, and toys for local families and have raised relief funds for victims of natural disasters in South Asia. Supporters can trust that their help goes directly to the people and families who need it most.

  • Give our community a voice

    BAC is a democratic, member-elected organization that works with city and state leaders. Our advocacy helped win official recognition of Bangladesh Independence Day in Illinois, and every new member makes that shared voice even stronger.

Upcoming events

Our events mark the important days of the Bangladeshi year, from Victory Day to the Bengali New Year. Everyone is welcome, members pay less for tickets, and each event is a chance for families to celebrate together.

See all events

  • Dec 2026

    বিজয় দিবস

    Victory Day observance

    An evening to remember December 16, 1971, with songs, poetry, and tributes to the freedom fighters.

    Date and venue to be announced

    Registration open

    Register for Victory Day observance

  • Mar 2027

    স্বাধীনতা দিবস

    Independence Day celebration

    Our largest event of the year: the national anthem, dance and music performances, dinner, and a guest artist.

    Date and venue to be announced

    Registration opens soon

    Notify me when registration opens for Independence Day celebration

  • Apr 2027

    পহেলা বৈশাখ

    Pohela Boishakh

    The Bengali New Year, with traditional food, colorful clothes, and performances by local and guest artists.

    Date and venue to be announced

    Registration opens soon

    Notify me when registration opens for Pohela Boishakh

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Membership

BAC offers two types of membership, Regular and Patron, each renewed once a year with a single online payment. Members help decide how the association is run, and every membership helps pay for the celebrations and services our community relies on.

Membership runs for the calendar year and renews each January. Pay your dues by January 31 to keep your membership and your vote for the full year.

Read the membership rules in our Constitution

  • Regular Member

    $10 a year

    For individuals and families who want to take part and have a say.

    • Member pricing on tickets to BAC events
    • A vote in board elections and special meetings
    • Access to member-only news and content
    Join as a Regular Member

  • Patron Member

    $500 a year

    For supporters who want to give more and attend everything.

    • Everything included in Regular membership
    • Free entry for two people to every BAC event
    • Access to member-only news and content
    Become a Patron Member

Board of Directors

BAC is run by a Board of Directors, eight volunteer officers who manage the association's programs, money, and events for a two-year term. Meet the people serving now, learn what each role does, and see who has led BAC in past years.

Current term: 2025–2026

  • Photo of Kamal Ahmed

    President

    Kamal Ahmed

  • Photo of Khandker R Suzud (Ami)

    Executive Secretary

    Khandker R Suzud (Ami)

  • Photo of Mohammad Yeasin

    Treasurer

    Mohammad Yeasin

Meet the full Board

Our sponsors

Sponsors are individuals, families, and businesses who support a BAC event or our work throughout the year. Your sponsorship keeps ticket prices low for families, pays for programs for children and newcomers, and is recognized across the Bangladeshi American community in Chicagoland.

Current sponsors

  • Sahil
  • Holiday Inn
  • Fish Corner
  • Albany Bank
  • Devon Realty
  • Radiant IPTV
  • Najilas Fashion
  • Al-Amin Grocery
  • Mithai Restaurant
  • Bandoo Khan BBQ
  • World Fresh Market
  • Zabiha Meat Market
  • Regal Jewelry and Sari
  • Dhaka Fish
  • Safa Market
  • Safa Café & Grill
  • Shalimar Grocery & Restaurant
  • Sundarban Grocery & Fish Bazar

Contact us

Contact the BAC Board of Directors with any question about membership, volunteering, sponsorship, or our upcoming events. Send us an email or a letter, and one of our volunteer board members will reply to you directly.

Email the boardVolunteer with us
Email
bod@bacillinois.org
Mailing address
P.O. Box 59849, Chicago, IL 60659
Nonprofit tax ID (EIN)
36-3660036