• April 16, 2018
• Chicago, IL USA
• By Kamrul Ahmed

President's Message

Dear Friends,

Every year we are here to celebrate the sacrifices of individuals to create the beautiful nation, we know as Bangladesh. The process of becoming a free nation is tough and enduring, but in the end, always worthwhile. As Bengalis, we should be proud of our heritage and openly express it. These individuals sacrificed their lives to achieve freedom of expression and language. Their valiant efforts will never be forgotten, for now, we can proudly identify ourselves as Bangladeshi.

It is our goal to unite our people and turn them from simply community, into family. With love and respect, we can build lasting, beautiful relationships with others. We must sow the seeds of love. Love should be our heart-felt language, and it must have power over everything. This is a belief I hold close to my heart. My board does not believe in exclusion, but in the inclusion of every single person. This belief must stretch from the individual and encompass the many.  It is my firm belief that we have created an inviting environment for everyone to participate.

BAC has been running almost forty years long, and it is very sad that still we do not have our own place to sit. Whereas most other communities have their own dedicated space, we are severely lacking. To have a space for our community seems almost imperative, and this dream can become something real and tangible. For $100,000 we can purchase such a space. If even 200 members donate $500 each, we achieve our goal. Though this sounds hefty, the rewards of this space would be priceless. After securing this space, we can utilize it for activities that can help repay the investments and help the space to grow. We can rent out the designated area to our community for different occasions: religious, cultural, personal, etc.

In that vein, the BAC should not be limited to just the cultural shows. We must make an effort to help our community and beyond. We must stand by those who need help. We should be able to provide support to people within and outside of the community. We want to set an example for the next generation, and to be able to hand this association over to them with pride and honor.

And finally, please consider becoming a member. We need your support to continue producing these shows and helping our community thrive and blossom. Let your voice be heard by others. Please strive to attend these shows and to actively engage us with new ideas and topics. This will help inspire the next generation of students and encourage them to continue this wonderful organization. These goals must be achieved as a collective group, for we need the co-operation from individuals to keep the heart of BAC churning. Thank you to everyone for volunteering and performing tonight, for this could not have been possible with all of you.

Best Regards,
Kamrul Ahmed
President, 2018-2019