Seminar

Udichi USA will organize a seminar to commemorate the 100 years of October Revolution in Jackson Heights, New York. Visiting economist of Dhaka University and central committee member of Bangladesh Communist Party, M. M. Akash will speak at the event. Local Bangladeshi community leaders will also attend the event. The event will be conducted in Bangla language. It is free and open to attendees.

Venue:

Jewish Center, Jackson Heights
37-06, 77th Street, Jackson Heights, NY 11372

Contacts:

646-642-4708
347-494-9026
917-547-5001
929-250-6780
347-735-0405
646-479-1448
646-302-1753

A conference on Bangladesh democracy will be held at the Barnard College, New York. The speakers at the event will discuss the quality of democracy and development in Bangladesh, human rights, labor rights, freedom of expression, freedom of association, freedom from all kinds of extremism, right to life, right to vote without fear in a peaceful environment; and how to achieve a free, fair and an internationally accepted inclusive parliamentary election in Bangladesh due in 2019 with participation from all political parties in Bangladesh.

Invited Speakers:

Lisa Curtis, Senior Fellow, Heritage Foundation, Washington, DC
Angela Aggeler, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, South and Central Asia, US Department of State
Jospeh Allcin, Journalist, Foreign Policy Magazine, Washington, DC
Humaiun Kobir, London School of Economics (LSE), London, UK
Chaumtoli Huq, Attorney At Law, Editor, Law@theMargins
Lars de Gier, Political Affairs Officer, Department of Political Affairs, UN, New York

The event is jointly organized by Archer K Blood Center for Democracy – a democracy discussion group on Bangladesh and Club Bangla – students of Bangladeshi origin at Columbia University.

The event is free, and all are welcome.

Venue:

Barnard College, Held Lecture Hall, Room #304
3009 Broadway, New York, NY 10027

Contact:

Kausar Mumin, 347-649-4253

Seminar about ‘Mawlana Bhashani: Movements for Justice and Liberation’ will be organized by Moulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani Foundation or Bhashani Foundation USA. The seminar will be presented by Dr. Layli Uddin, a researcher at the Department of History, University of London and a community activist in United Kingdom. The presentation will be given in English but Bangla assistance is also available. The event is a good opportunity to learn about Mawlana Bhashani’s life, philosophy, work, actions and how it could be used to motivate and liberate oppressed communities.

The event is free and open to anyone who is committed to social justice.

Venue:

Kabab King Restaurant, 2nd Floor
7301, 37th Rd, Jackson Heights, NY 11372

Contacts:

Sayed Sultan, 917-2916289
Kazi Fouzia, 347-965-3194

Seminar on Immigrants Rights will be organized by Human Support Corporation. The seminar will focus on Bangladeshi immigrant community, their rights and responsibilities in the USA. Bangladeshi community members knowledgeable on the issue will speak at the seminar. The seminar will be conducted in Bangla. The event is free and all are welcome.

Venue:

Mamun’s Tutorial
37-21, 72nd Street, 2nd Floor, Jackson Heights, NY 11372

Contacts:

Mohammad Solaiman Ali, 347-236-2737
Tapan Sen, 917-495-3999

Bangladesh: Beyond the Binaries
A talk by Ali Riaz (Illinois State University)

Bangladesh, the eighth most populous country in the world, has recently attracted international media attention due to the dramatic rise of militancy tied to transnational terrorist groups. The coverage, unfortunately, followed a familiar pattern of portraying the country’s politics as a conflict between Secularism and Islamism on the one hand and a battle between personalities, on the other. Since its independence in 1971, corruption and growing intolerance have reflected the weaknesses of the state and undermined its capacity. The authoritarian tendency of the ruling elites, palpable throughout the past 45 years, was and still is, contrary to the democratic aspirations and sacrifices of its citizens. Interestingly, despite acrimonious politics and poor governance, the country has demonstrated significant economic potential and achieved successes in areas such as female education, population control and reductions in child mortality. Based on his recently published book Bangladesh: A Political History since Independence (2016), Ali Riaz examines the political processes that engendered these paradoxical tendencies. He argues that the binary frame used to understand Bangladeshi politics betrays the complexity of the nation’s tumultuous journey and future trajectories.

Ali Riaz is University Professor and the Chair of the Department of Politics and Government at Illinois State University, at Normal, Illinois.  His primary areas of interest are political Islam, madrassahs, South Asian politics, and Bangladeshi politics. He has taught at Dhaka University and was a Public Policy Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington D.C. From 1995-2000, he was Senior Broadcast Journalist for the BBC World Service, Bengali Section, in London. Among his many publications include Bangladesh: A Political History since Independence (2016); Islam and Identity Politics among British-Bangladeshis: A Leap of Faith (2013); Inconvenient Truths about Bangladeshi Politics (2012); a volume of essays co-edited with Christine Fair, Political Islam and Governance in Bangladesh (2011), another edited volume, Religion and Politics in South Asia (2010); Faithful Education: Madrassahs in South Asia (2008); and Islamist Militancy in Bangladesh: A Complex Web (2008). His talk will be based on his most recent publication.

Venue

South Asia Institute @ Knox Hall, Room 208
606 W 122nd St, New York, NY 10027

Contact:

212-854-5514

Dhaka Ahsania Mission, USA will organize a Learning Seminar in Rego Park for Bangladeshi community. The aim of the seminar is to provide information about Dhaka Ahsania Mission Children City and a modern cancer hospital which is being built with the generous contribution from people – home and abroad. Dhaka Ahsania Mission, USA encourages non-resident Bangladeshis to donate on Dhaka Ahsania Mission’s charitable causes.

The event is free and all are welcome to join.

Venue:

Maurya Banquet Hall & Restaurant
63-108 Woodhaven Blvd. Rego Park, NY 11374

Contacts:

Nayeema Khan, 917-873-5407
Selina Sharmin, 718-526-5626
Rasel Kabir, 347-892-1363
Nowsar Rahman, 917-951-8243