M. Badrul Haque, Ph.D.
Potomac, Maryland
I remember vividly my excitement when I left Bangladesh. I was only twelve years old. I was very sure that I would return, to be with my friends and relations. My childhood determination gradually faded into hopes and wishful thinking. After living abroad for twenty-seven years, I continue to be guided by my rich cultural heritage. I survived many cultural clashes during my teenage years and beyond. As a parent, however, I am facing new and more complex ones now. My children are already encountering increasingly serious challenges at an early age. My wife and I want our children to make informed choices, as do other concerned and enlightened parents. We owe it to ourselves to expose our children to the positive aspects of different cultures. We can only hope that the choices they make will coincide with ours. We cannot, nor should we expect to, make the choices for them.
Fortunately, some of our needs are being met, on an ad hoc basis, by a large number of organizations run by dedicated volunteers. Another group of individuals are promoting our language and culture on the information super-highway. However, we need a more systematic and professional approach to meet our present needs and future challenges. I find it heartening that this view is shared by a growing number of community members.
In my view, we should establish community centers in areas with large concentrations of Bangladeshi population. These centers should be focal points for our children, their friends and us. A well-planned network of centers will encourage a spirit of dedication, friendship, service and benevolence among community members in each locale and beyond. The centers will have their own facilities and sponsor, coordinate, and facilitate various social, educational and cultural activities. A proposed parallel organization will regularly recognize outstanding and promising individuals; provide resource persons for guidance and inspiration of the youth; and, promote youth exchanges between North America and Bangladesh. The organization will also establish and maintain contacts with other organizations; and, maintain on-line information services, to project the image of Bangladesh.
Clearly, it will take time to achieve all our objectives. With dedications, however, we will achieve them. In the meantime, we can focus on establishing a center in Greater Washington area. This should be the base for providing services to the full community.
Send an e-mail to: badrulhaque@hotmail.com for more information.
(The preceding article appeared in Protiddhani in September 1995, a quarterly journal of the Greater Washington-based Bangladesh Association of America, Inc.)
