Millennials: Do Us All a Favor and Vote!

By Ejaz S. Haque (Age 22)

(2015 graduate of chemical engineering -
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

Fall is in full swing. If you have been anywhere near a television over the last few months, you are aware that election coverage has arrived. For those of you ages 18 to 21, you may have been looking forward to this time of the year for months; after all, 2016 marks the first time in your lives you will be able to participate in a presidential election, one of the most important rights afforded to you by American law.

Statistically, however, it is much more likely that you are indifferent to this new power and have no plans of putting it to use at all.

Or don’t, but at least now you have the choice.

Such a sweeping generalization may justifiably raise some eyebrows among discerning readers, as to some it may seem as though younger generations are more active in politics than ever before. Even if this were the case, the truth is that there is still much progress to be made according to voting and registration data obtained by the United States Census Bureau. Of the 5146 Americans aged 18 to 24 polled just last year, more than half (2924) reported that they did not vote in the November 2014 election. Extrapolating this data to a nationwide scale (and, yes, arguably taking some statistical liberty in doing so), this means that the number of young adults that could be expected not to vote in the upcoming election is approximately 3 million – in other words, enough people to swing the outcome of the 2004 presidential election.

And we wonder why we don’t feel represented enough in national politics.

This calculation fails to account for those who did not respond regarding their registration status, meaning it is likely that the reality is even worse than it seems. Despite government approval reaching all-time lows in recent years, the numbers show that we as a demographic are not yet incensed enough to take meaningful action. In addition to the sheer abstruseness of today’s political discourse, the corruption and often-spotty personal and professional histories of major party candidates explains to some extent why many see the election process as a farce. “Why even bother voting when every candidate sucks?” or “what’s the point when they can just buy their way into office anyway?” one might ask.

The answer is simple and we've all heard it before: your vote is your voice. Yet the polls show that many continue to question whether or not their single vote is truly impactful. Sure, non-voters may have been able to swing the 2004 election, but only in one of the closest presidential races of all time, and only if they had voted unanimously in favor of the Democratic Party. With such conditions being quite rare and nearly impossible to replicate, our ballots can feel meaningless, lost in the vast sea of votes that ultimately do nothing to dictate the outcome of large-scale elections. However, the misguidedness of this perspective has been illustrated numerous times by the profound yet undeniable impact Millennials make on a national level.

We may not be as good as we think we are, but we’re not as bad as others think either.

Among the biggest news stories of 2012 was the shooting of Florida teen Trayvon Martin. The mass media coverage, prosecution, and subsequent acquittal of shooter George Zimmerman contributed to making the event one of the most important social justice struggles of the decade. Yet without the contributions of young adults across the nation, it could have remained a local story, swept under the rug and forgotten within weeks.

In the aftermath of the shooting, Washington D.C. resident Kevin Cunningham, unsatisfied with the leniency of Sanford police on Zimmerman, took to online petition platform change.org to call for Zimmerman’s arrest. Within days, the petition had made waves through social media, accumulating thousands of signatures. Soon after control of the petition was transferred to Martin’s parents, the “Justice for Trayvon” campaign had developed into a full-scale protest movement. National media coverage was heightened in response, pressuring police to finally arrest and persecute Zimmerman, leading to the long-awaited trial many thought would be impossible given the strong pushback from self-defense apologists. Though Zimmerman was eventually acquitted, the impact of the internet and social media on the resolution of the case cannot be denied. The change.org campaign was fueled solely by action from its backers and gained national recognition due to its overwhelming support. Had these backers (hundreds of thousands of whom were among the 18 to 24 age bracket) instead failed to take action as they did in the 2014 elections, the prospect of prosecuting Zimmerman may have been dead on arrival.

 

It’s hard for anyone to ignore 2.3 million messages in their inbox.

This is not to say that all (or even most) Trayvon supporters abstained from voting, nor does it prove the value of the individual ballot. However, it is a clear demonstration of the power of the internet and the collective interests of the young adults that dominate the platform.

Why is it that current presidential candidates seem lacking in many respects to the younger generations? Superficiality, partisan agendas, flip-flopping, and many other qualities contribute to the disconnect between older politicians and younger constituents. And yet, if we are aware that these problems exist, why do they continue to plague elections at all levels, year in and year out? Voter apathy catalyzes this self-fulfilling prophecy: if young adults have no interest in voting, candidates are no longer motivated to adopt policies that favor young adults, giving them no reason to vote in the first place.

The solution to this problem is easier said than implemented. Campaigns such as ‘Rock the Vote’ and ‘Bite the Ballot’ have the right intentions, but how many of us have really fostered a vested interest in politics since learning about them? Advertising is rarely effective in swaying any demographic in taking notice and performing deeper research on their own, as pro-voting campaigns inherently do. An audience that is initially resistant to listening will be much less likely to internalize a message than one that came looking on its own. The key to breaking this cycle is to work with young voters on their own territory and as the Trayvon Martin case shows, the internet and social media are ideally suited platforms to do this.

When former backup center and certified scrub Hasheem Thabeet
has 4 times as many followers as you, you aren’t getting the job done.

Transparency between government officials, the media, and the public is greater than ever – or at least has the potential to be – due to the open nature of the internet. Though their use of designated social media representatives raises questions concerning their candidness, politicians have nevertheless made a great leap forward in public relations by embracing these platforms. From Barack Obama’s digital town hall meeting on Reddit’s AMA forum to the use of Twitter as a channel of direct contact with constituents, it is clear that social media is the most powerful medium of communication between the electorate and the candidates.

           

 

Barack Obama’s AMA is the 19^th most popular post on Reddit of all time.

Young adults do care!

The benefit of this model for American citizens is that direct communication begets direct accountability. Imagine that the 18 to 24 year olds who did not vote in the 2014 elections were all dedicated followers of presidential hopeful Donald Trump on Twitter. Real-time updates make it easy for followers to keep up-to-date on Trump-related events and any changes in his politics. Imagine now that at a rally next week, Trump rescinded his proposal for government spending reform and decreased taxation on the middle class. You would expect his followers, college students or recent graduates that would benefit from this plan, to be outraged.

This kind of flip-flopping has almost become commonplace as candidates take advantage of the difficulty in keeping track of every promise made over the course of a presidential campaign. However, due to the nature of social media and cloud-based platforms, identifying this behavior is so simple that hypocrisy is now called out on a daily basis. Even without abandoning his promises, Trump could receive backlash from his followers for adopting new policies that support older citizens (e.g., social security) at the expense of younger ones. Whereas politicians have commonly justified tailoring their campaigns exclusively to the desires of an older crowd, a politically-active millennial generation could easily pressure them into giving more consideration to a wider audience. Given that our earlier estimate of the number of 18 to 24 year olds in this country approximates the population of Iowa, this demographic would certainly carry weight.

It is important to remember, however, that all of the above is contingent upon an internal desire to take action. Voting campaigns may motivate kids to start thinking about the idea of voting, but it is on the individuals themselves to perform research and cultivate an interest on their own. The tools we have before us in the internet and social media should convince us that we can make a difference, and a big one at that in the upcoming election. There can be no excuse for not voicing our opinions. It is when we are dissatisfied with the status quo that we must take action the most; failing to do so only serves to perpetuate it. Whenever you feel like your vote means nothing in the face of a government that wields more power than you ever could, remember that your vote is the ultimate check on every politician that represents you, a check they have no ability to dispute. When we millennials truly appreciate this – when we no longer ask “should I bother using this power?” and instead ask “how can I best put it to use?” – we can shape the political landscape in ways no expert can foresee.

BADC Celebrates International Women's Day 2015

Bangladeshi American Democratic Coalition (BADC) celebrated International Women’s Day on Sunday, March 8, 2015, at The Villages in San Jose, CA, with about 150 people in attendance. 

Organized by Nasreen Rahim, president of BADC, vice-president Tina Jabeen, general secretary Tahsina Haque, and director of outreach Nilufar Haque, the “Make It Happen” day recognized and honored several America women of Bangladeshi heritage for their outstanding contributions to society. The honorees were Rahima Mohammed, principal engineer at Intel, Sitara Khan, philanthropist extraordinaire, Samihah Azim, product design manager, Fahmida Ahmed, environmentalist and sustainability leader, Suhaila Khan, physician, Sylvia Reshmeen, artist and calligrapher, Naushaba Rashid, innovative financial planner in a field dominated by men, and Zakia Afrin, human rights advocate and professor of international law.

BADC_Women_Make_It_Happen!

Mike Honda, Congressman from California, sent a congratulatory congressional letter that lauded the successes of BADC. “Today’s event celebrates International Women’s Day and promotes the achievements of Bangladeshi American women leaders in the Bay Area. As a strong supporter of women’s rights, I understand the importance of holding events that highlight the contributions of women to our communities.”

NasreenRahim_with_CindyChavez&DaveCortese_Holding_County_of_SantaClara_Commendation

Among the prominent politicians joining the celebration were supervisor Dave Cortese, supervisor Cindy Chavez and council member Ash Kalra. Their message was unifying and inspiring. More women must run for public offices because they bring different and more humane gifts to the mix. They are better at forging consensus. They know how to appeal to the better angel of our nature to reach common ground on contentious issues. They act on the conviction that peace requires more courage than war.

AniaAlam_Founder_OutdoorEndorphins_Remembers_Grandmother's_Influence

Ania Alam, founder of “Outdoor Endorphins” that uses the healing powers of the outdoors to help at-risk high-school students develop their confidence and social skills, moved the attendees with her poignant reflection on the influence her grandmother, the late Dr. Razia Moni Khatun, had on her. “She gave me the strength and the motivation to pursue a career in medicine. My generation is inspired by women leaders of the past. In my case, it is my grandmother. She is no more but I feel her influence in my life every day.”

A lively panel discussion by the honorees of what can “Make It Happen” for women concluded the event. The consensus was that empowering women and ensuring their safety and security worldwide will succeed if grassroots organizations work locally to educate men about their responsibilities toward women while inspiring women to reach for the stars.

It is one of the goals of the Bangladeshi American Democratic Coalition to become such an organization.

TinaJabeen_NilufarHaque_BADC_InternationalWomen'sDay2015

PattiCortese_BADC_InternationalWomen'sDay2015

RaptAttendees_at_BADC_InternationalWomen'sDay2015

Saqib Rahim Urges Bangladeshi-Americans to Use the Media to Express Their Views

BADC was formed primarily to give Bangladeshi-Americans a platform to participate in America's political process and to influence the public discourse on diverse and sensitive issues for the better.

One sad but undeniable fact about the generation of Bangladeshis who arrived in Silicon Valley, CA, in the 1980's is that they are vocal and strident in their opinions about, say, what ails America's foreign policy or the glaring injustice spawned by Islamophobia, but only in the confines of their living rooms, particularly when pilaf, chicken biryani, mutton rezala, samosas and spicy tea are available in generous servings, as inevitably they always are, thanks to the unfailing hospitality of the hosts.

That's as far as it goes, though. 

And so no one hears about how much we deplore the ISIS fanatics who kill in the name of Islam, or how outraged we are when Sunnis butcher Shias, or how aggrieved we are when our fellow-Americans lump us all under the same banner of "those extremist Muslims."

We forget that when we don't write our own stories, others will write it for us.

Fortunately, the younger generation of Bangladeshi-Americans are not bound by such timidity or fear.

One such inspiring and articulate second-generation Bangladeshi-American is Saqib Rahim. 

Saqib Rahim is a journalist and writer in Brooklyn, NY. His work has variously appeared in The New York Times, Scientific American, E&E News, and the San Jose Mercury News. Raised in San Jose, California, he studied at the University of California before completing a master's in international relations at The Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C.

Here is a thoughtful and challenging article on the subject by Saqib that appeared in The Huffington Post on September 29, 2014.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/saqib-rahim/muslim-americans_b_5896556.html

The Silent Reason You're Not Hearing More From American Muslims

By Saqib Rahim 

Reporter, writer, contemplater, inveterate asker of questions

Posted: 09/29/2014

The weekend before last, my parents and a few old friends met for
after-dinner tea.

This is their tradition, something they've done innumerable times since moving to the U.S. from Bangladesh in the '70s and '80s. And as usual, the conversation ranged freely from the hilarious to the serious.

So the topic arrived at their religion, Islam, and its relationship to the so-called "Islamic State".

Déjà vu, they said. Here, again, was a sinister group prowling the Middle East. As usual, it had seized the mantle of Islam for its PR. And as usual, the response from American Muslims was effectively a cavernous silence.

They lamented this repeating state of affairs. But the evening wound down, and they parted ways. No one in the broader American public would ever hear what they said.

That, in my view, is the silent reason American Muslims have yet to make themselves truly heard in America.

No one hears the quiet, immigrant folks who have hustled in this country for decades, who love it and call it their home, but who shrink from the light of public affairs -- and always have.

I wish it were otherwise. The buildup to this new war against IS has brought a burst of anti-Muslim sentiment. It started in the deep annals of the Internet -- hardly a bastion of enlightenment -- but quickly expanded into the mass media and has even seeped into my personal circles.

In August, there was the savage murder of James Foley. As anyone who saw the images knows, it was chilling, medieval, not of this era.

It never crossed my mind that anyone would hold Muslims, like my parents or myself, accountable. Then I saw this, retweeted by an otherwise respectable writer:

Not for nothing, but these terrorists are calling themselves the Islamic State and I’m not hearing loud objections from Muslims worldwide. (posted by RB)

5:54 AM - 20 Aug 2014

Oklahoma State Rep. John Bennett chose to be more blunt, saying in a recent presentation about Islam, "Is there a difference between moderate and radical Islam? I say no."

A South Carolina Republican voter, asked for his top national-policy concerns, named Muslims: "They're all over the country right now, they're infiltrating." He wants the U.S. to turn Muslims away at the border.

These are fringe voices, not representative of the American mainstream. What concerns me, however, is how publicly these sentiments are being aired.

Prejudice is often whispered, with a sense of shame; there are certain slurs, today, for instance, that no one would be caught saying. But if people are OK being associated with broad condemnations of Muslim-Americans, then relations are in a grim state indeed.

Not that it's a surprise. Americans are exhausted from over a decade of war in the Middle East. We're sick of the gruesome headlines in Nigeria, Syria, Israel, and other hotspots. But some think they see a common thread: Muslims.

In this golden age of misinformation about all things, Islam included, it's essential to say something to that -- to occupy the narrative space that Al Qaeda, IS, and others have occupied for too long.

So where is the Muslim-American pushback?

My guess: it's in a no-man's land, between my parents' generation and mine.

More than 60 percent of Muslim-American adults were born abroad, according to a 2011 survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press.

Muslims, like many other groups that have come to America, are in their immigrant infancy. They have yet to grow the deep roots -- in politics, in the media, in neighborhoods -- that would demystify them to the wider American culture.

Take my dad, who left Bangladesh in the late '70s to pursue an engineering career in the US. Dad loves a spirited political debate, preferably in the living room, with friends, over tea. He also treasures his faith, although he'd prefer to practice it quietly, in a side room.

You see what I'm driving at. This is not someone who, seeing Muslims' good names tarnished on TV, would scramble to call a radio station or write a letter to the editor. (It doesn't help, I'm sure, that he's conscious of his accent, or that he's a Ph.D. engineer who can be clumsy with words. Sorry, Dad.)

It's one example. But it's typical of the adults I grew up around. Muslims, to me, are people who mow their lawns and pay their bills, quietly shaking their heads at the impersonators ruining their good name the world around. They're not the people running a PTA meeting or taking the lectern at City Hall.

Fortunately, there are signs of change. Muslim groups are getting active in American civics, in the hopes of crafting a new narrative.

There are the immigrants' kids -- people like myself and my peer group -- who have degrees and careers and will enter the political arena at some point. We grew up here. Many of us aren't "by the book" Muslims compared to our parents. But we know, respect, and revere our rights.

What are we up against? Islamophobia, coming as it does in these occasional flares, seems to me a small part of it. It is disheartening, especially considered against America's grim history of prejudice toward Jews, the Irish, Japanese, and African-Americans, for a partial list. But I doubt it can last. Americans' unshakable sense of equality will shine through.

The bigger challenge, to my mind, falls to my generation. Will we speak up and participate in a way that our parents never could? If so, American Islam's roots will deepen. We won't be seen as some foreign conspiracy, but as the contributing members of society we are.

What if we stay in our living rooms, hoping to ride out the occasional fear-wave? This, I submit, is asking for déjà vu. When our countrymen ask who we are, we'll have no reply.

Others will. That means our story will be written, but not by us.

BADC News, September 2014

September 7, 2014: The Executive Committee (EC) of BADC met at the residence of Nilufar and Yusuf Haque at Woodside, California, for their monthly meeting. The Committee reviewed and defined the duties and responsibilities of each EC member. Everyone agreed that the preparatory phase was over and that it was now time for measurable and sustained action.

The newly-formed Advisory Board of BADC had its first quarterly meeting with the EC members, also at the residence of Nilufar and Yusuf Haque at Woodside, California. Both the EC and the Advisory Board participants unanimously nominated Ferdous Alam to be the Chair of the Advisory Board. He will be the point of contact between the EC and the Advisory Board for BADC. Among those who traveled far to attend the meeting included 
- Rashida Majumder, representing Fremont, Union City, Newark, San Ramon, and Pittsburg, 
- Sayeda Lata, representing Sacramento, Folsom and Davis, and 
- Mizan Rahman, representing San Francisco, North Bay, East Bay, Berkeley and Contra Costa County

As always, the gracious hosts provided the perfect environment for animated and fruitful discussions among members, while also offering a variety of nourishing delicacies to keep the energy levels of participants high.

Report on Current BADC Activities (July-August 2014)

On Thursday, July 10, Nasreen Rahim, Tahsina Haq and Nilufar Haque attended the Santa Clara County Democratic Club as the formally-nominated Executive Board of BADC.

In the first week of July, Executive Committee (EC) members were busy researching the state and federal financial and legal documents to ensure that the paperwork met the deadline and all the criteria. Steve Preminger, President of SCCDP, suggested that we request the help of Herb Engstrom for help with financial and legal documents.

On July 15, the BADC-USA (umbrella for all BADCs in the US) caucus leaders met congressmen Sander Levin, John Conyers, Gary Peters, Chris Van Hollen, John Dingell, and representatives of congressmen George Miller, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Chris Van Hollen, Mike Honda, Keith Ellison, Gerry Connolly and Rush Holt. The intention of the Democratic Party Caucus was to play a complementary role and provide positive feedback towards the development of Bangladesh while strengthening US-Bangladesh bilateral relations. BADC-USA President Nazmul Hassan and VP Zakirul Haque kept the Bay Area BADC updated.

Regarding Bangladesh Garments, the following issues were presented:

• Reinstatement of a trade privilege, GSP (generalized system of preferences), that was blocked last year
• Request duty-free access for Bangladeshi garment items to the US market

On July 18, 2014, BADC was invited to the Bay Area Sikh Panchayat event honoring US Congressman Mike Honda (CA-17) in Chandni Restaurant, Newark, CA. The American Sikh Congressional Caucus was also represented in the event, along with CAIR and others.

Satinder Malhi, young democrat of Contra Costa County, inspiring youths in the audience

On July 24, Arinee Rahman, along with three of her friends, including Angela Cortese (daughter of San Jose mayoral candidate Dave Cortese), hosted a vigil for peace between Palestine and Israel to remember and commemorate all the lives lost in this conflict, in front of San Jose City Hall, from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

On August 12, EC members agreed to unanimously endorse SB 52 (California Disclose Act). To receive the input of the rest of the BADC members and finalize the endorsement, a survey will be emailed to all BADC members: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MHNXBZX. 

The deadline for responding to this survey is Sunday, August 31, 2014.

Also on August 12, Herb Engstrom, CDC Treasurer and Treasurer of the Santa Clara County Democratic Club met with Nasreen Rahim and agreed to meet with the BADC EC to help with the club finances and other legal paperwork with the federal and state.

On August 15, the BADC Advisory Board members were finalized, along with membership drive sub-committee coordinator.

On August 17, at 10:30 am, the EC and a couple of Advisory Board members attended the “Club Finances” training session with Herb Engstrom for approximately 2 hours. In this session, members learned about the finer details of maintaining the club finances, as well as filing relevant legal documents.

On Monday, August 18, an invitation to the first meeting of EC with the Advisory Board, scheduled for Sunday, September 7, was emailed to members. 

New BADC Executive Committee Members Elected

On May 8, 2014, Rashida Majumder, coordinator of Bangladeshi American 
Democratic Coalition (BADC) Election Commission, announced to the 
community that the following nominated candidates have been elected 
uncontested:

Nasreen Rahim – President
Farkhanda Jabeen (Tina) – Vice President
Tahsina Haq - General Secretary
Nilufar Haque - Director of Outreach 
Mahbub Alam – Treasurer

The following letter went out to BADC members from the newly-elect 
President of BADC:

18 May 2014 

Dear BADC Members,


On-behalf of BADC Executive Committee, I would like to thank you for electing us to the following positions, uncontested: 

Nasreen Rahim – President

Farkhanda Jabeen (Tina) – Vice President

Mahbub Alam – Treasurer

Tahsina Haq - Gen. Secretary

Nilufar Haque - Dir. Of Outreach











Our heartfelt gratitude goes to the four talented BADC Election Commissioners: Rashida Majumder, Badrul Hasan, Sohel Imtiaz, and Abu Hena Kamal. 
 It is their commitment that made the BADC election process so smooth.

According to the Election Commissioners, the effective date of the start of the new BADC Executive Committee is May 18, 2014. 
The Transition BADC Executive Committee has been dissolved.

As the official BADC Executive Committee, we pledge to do our best to promote the interest of 
Bangladeshi-Americans. Let us work together toward achieving our common goals.


Sincerely,

Nasreen Rahim

President, BADC

Bio-sketches of BADC’s elected executive committee members, 2014, 
are as follows:

		Nasreen Rahim, President - Nasreen Rahim is a professor and Staff Development Chair at Evergreen Valley College (EVC), San Jose, California. She is the recipient of the most distinguished faculty of the year 2012 award at EVC. Currently, Professor Rahim is completing her doctorate in Leadership in International Education. She is an Executive member of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) 6157. As Interim Vice-President of BADC, she has already created a strong network with leading politicians of the Santa Clara County and the California Democratic Party. As the current President of BADC, her goal will be to nurture the next generation of leaders from among Bangladeshi-American women and young adults.
		Farkhanda Jabeen (Tina), Vice President - Tina Jabeen is a Director in a private equity firm in San Francisco. She works with a number of non-profit organizations – Agami, to name only one – that are focused on education and women’s health for marginalized people in the slums and rural areas of Bangladesh. She is also active with Sneha, a non-profit organization based in Canada, that works primarily on education and rehabilitation of families for garments workers in Bangladesh. She is passionate about Bangla language and culture and actively supports initiatives to promote them. Tina has been involved with BADC since 2012. As the Vice President of BADC, she would like to connect issues of the local Bangladeshi community to the local political arena. Tina graduated from Haas School of Business in 1995 and has been living in the Bay area since 1989 with her husband Md. Salahuddin and mother Najma Khatun.
		Tahsina Haq, General Secretary - Tahsina Haq is a quality control technician at Reed and Graham Inc. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences from San Jose State University. Tahsina’s political involvement began from high school when she worked as an election officer for three years. She went on to champion minimum wage workers by working on Measure D and getting it passed through a joint effort with other activists. She played a critical role in establishing BADC as a club with the Santa Clara County Democratic Party. She has interned with the Labor Council in its Summer Justice program in which she got training in community outreach, strategic research, political strategy and networking. She is passionate about working with people of all ages and backgrounds in building an informed and progressive community from which the next generation of Bangladeshi-American politicians can rise to local, state and national prominence.
		Nilufar Haque, Director of Outreach - Nilufar Haque is a CPA and Director of Taxation at the Palo Alto office of Frank Rimerman & Co., a national accounting firm. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Dhaka University, Bangladesh, and an MBA from Santa Clara University. She also holds a Master’s degree in Taxation. She is a passionate supporter of several non-profit organizations and has served for a number of years on the Board of the Santa Clara Chapter of the National MS Society. She was an early advocate of BADC and has been involved with the organization from its inception.
		Mahbub Alam, Treasurer - Mahbub Alam is an experienced accountant and a licensed tax practitioner in California. He has a Bachelor's degree in Commerce and a Master's degree in accounting from Dhaka University, Bangladesh. He is also a Nationally Certified Bookkeeper by the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers. He has also served as a voluntary treasurer for other non-profit organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area. As a key member of BADC, he is excited about the contributions the organization can make in enhancing the political presence and influence of Bangladeshi-Americans.

BADC Membership Form Being Sent by EMail

At the BADC event on January 26, 2014, many attendees selected to
become BADC members by checking a box in the attendee form.

BADC will soon be sending a membership form to these attendees by email.

Kindly fill in the membership form and return it to the originator at your earliest
convenience. We urge you to join BADC to:

• further the best interests of Bangladeshi-Americans
• promote US-Bangladesh relationship 
• develop next generation leadership within our community
• work with similar groups on issues of common interest
• educate US legislatures on Bangladeshi issues
• promote democratic values and institutions within Bangladesh
• facilitate trade and businesses between Bangladesh and the U.S.
• establish cultural, educational & scientific exchanges between the two countries
• influence legislation on global warming & its mitigation in Bangladesh

This is about us, our future and the future of our children in America.All of us at BADC genuinely appreciate your timely cooperation.