Senate Resolution No. 231 BY: Senator STAVISKY MEMORIALIZING Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim September 25, 2025, as Bangladeshi Immigrant Day in the State of New York WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize official days that are set aside to increase awareness and enhance the profile of cultural diversity which strengthens the fabric of the communities of New York State; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim September 25, 2025, as Bangladeshi Immigrant Day in the State of New York; and WHEREAS, The year 2025 celebrates five decades of a successful partnership between Bangladesh and the United States; Bangladeshi immigrants left family and friends behind and began arriving in the United States in the late 19th Century; and WHEREAS, New York City is home to the largest and most vibrant Bangladeshi community in America; the community is spread across the Jackson Heights neighborhood in the borough of Queens; and WHEREAS, For over 20 years, the Muktadhara Foundation, a New York based organization dedicated to the promotion of Bengali culture, has celebrated its history and culture through various community events including the Bangla Festival and Book Fair; and WHEREAS, With a variety of Bangladeshi grocery and clothing stores and several authentic Bangladeshi restaurants, it is the ideal place to visit if you want to both learn about and experience Bangladeshi American culture; and WHEREAS, Neighboring communities like Elmhurst and Woodside are also home to a large population of Bangladeshi Americans; and WHEREAS, Bangladesh achieved independence from Pakistan in 1971; and WHEREAS, On September 25, 1974, an historic day for the Bengali community, the first speech was delivered in the Bengali language to the General Assembly of the United Nations; it was given by the father of the nation of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman; and WHEREAS, More than 10,000 Bangladeshis immigrate to the United States annually, primarily from the regions of Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet and Noakhali; and WHEREAS, Today, there are more than 600,000 non-resident Bangladeshis living in the United States; in 2018, there were over 80,000 Bengalis living in New York City; and WHEREAS, New York is the center of Bangladeshi immigration to the United States, and today has thriving Bangladeshi communities throughout the five boroughs; over 250,000 Bangladeshi-born immigrants live in New York, and it has become a hub for Bangladeshis since the 1970s; and WHEREAS, Currently, the Bangladeshi community within New York is so developed that it is one of the most welcoming places for Bangladeshis to move to if they want to start a new life outside of Bangladesh; and WHEREAS, There is also plenty of support in New York for Bangladeshi immigrants; the Consulate General of Bangladesh in New York is able to provide consular services and support for new immigrants and individuals who have lived in New York for a while; this level of assistance is testament to the development of a great community of Bangladeshis in New York over the past five decades; and WHEREAS, This Legislative Body recognizes the perseverance of the Bangladeshi people in their fight for independence as well as the accomplishments of the Bengali people around the world and in the State of New York; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim September 25, 2025, as Bangladeshi Immigrant Day in the State of New York, and to recognize the many contributions of Bangladeshi-Americans to New York; and be it further RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New York; and Bishawjit Saha, CEO and Founder of the Muktadhara Foundation, Inc.