Bangladesh Association of Australia holds gala dinner, cultural evening in Sydney

Photo: Bangolok

The Bangladesh Association of Australia (BAOA), one of the oldest and most traditional organizations of the Bangladeshi community in Australia, hosted its annual gala dinner and cultural evening in Sydney with a festive atmosphere.

The event, held at the SISDAC Auditorium in Minto on Sunday, brought together members of the Bangladeshi-Australian community along with prominent figures from Australia’s political, social and cultural spheres.

The 47th Premier of New South Wales, Chris Means MP, attended the event as the chief guest.

Assistant Minister and MP Matt Thistlethwaite MP, Attorney General Michael Daly MP, Federal Member for Hughes David Moncrief MP, Member for Leppington Nathan Haggerty MP and Mayor of Campbelltown Darcy Lound were present as special guests.

BAOA President Monirul Haque George chaired the event, while General Secretary Alamgir Islam conducted the opening session. The main programme was later hosted by Tisa Tania and Jui Sen Paul.

The programme began with recitations from the Holy Quran, Gita, Bible and Tripitaka, followed by the national anthems of Australia and Bangladesh. Uncle David Bell delivered an ‘Acknowledgement of Country’ in recognition of Australia’s Indigenous people.

In his welcome speech, BAOA President Monirul Haque George said the organization aims to promote the Bengali language, culture and heritage among the new generation growing up abroad while fostering unity and harmony within the community.

Speaking as the chief guest, Premier Chris Means praised the social, economic and cultural contributions of the Bangladeshi-Australian community. He said the community was playing an important role in further enriching the multicultural fabric of New South Wales.

Other guests also praised the community's various initiatives and its contributions to Australia's multicultural society.

Commemorative mementos and crests were presented to the guests during the programme. Campbelltown City Council Councillors Masud Chowdhury, Ibrahim Khalil Masud and Ashiqur Rahman (Ash), along with Camden City Council Councillor Eliza Azad Tumpa, also addressed the gathering.

A major highlight of the evening was the unveiling of the cover of ‘Chalantika’, a magazine published by the Bangladesh Association of Australia. BAOA leaders, including Kaiser Ahmed and Belal Hossain Dhali, formally unveiled the magazine cover, followed by a commemorative photograph with the guests.

The participation of young volunteers was another notable feature of the event. The volunteers played an active role in welcoming guests, maintaining discipline and assisting in the smooth conduct of the programme. Their dedication and skills were appreciated by the guests, while community leaders expressed hope that the involvement of the younger generation would contribute to developing future leadership.

In his closing remarks, event convener Advocate Mubarak Hossain thanked the guests, sponsors, artists, volunteers, media representatives and all participants for their support. He also acknowledged the contributions of the executive committee, organizers and supporting organizations to the successful completion of the event and sought continued cooperation to uphold unity and harmony within the community.

Maksudur Rahman Chowdhury Sumon served as the member secretary of the event.

The cultural segment, coordinated by BAOA Cultural Secretary Belal Hossain Dhali and presented by Purbi Parmita Bose and Kishwar Akhtar Kakli, entertained the audience with music, dance and comedy performances by expatriate Bangladeshi artists.

A comedy drama written and directed by Belal Hossain Dhali received particular appreciation from the audience.

The gala dinner and cultural evening continued with lively performances until late at night. Around 3,000 members of the Bangladeshi community attended the event, along with representatives of social, cultural and religious organizations, businesspeople, media personnel and invited guests, making it one of the largest social and cultural gatherings of expatriate Bangladeshis in Australia.