Senate Resolution No. 1699
BY: Senator SEPULVEDA
MEMORIALIZING Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim
April 14, 2026, as Bangla New Year 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 April 14, 2026, as Bangla
New Year Day (Pohela Baisakh) in the State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Bangla New Year Day has its origins in the Mughal Empire of
Indian subcontinent and is largely a secular holiday for most celebrants
and enjoyed by people of several different faiths and backgrounds
through music, dance, and fine arts; and
WHEREAS, Bangla New Year has its origins in the agrarian economy of
medieval age Indian subcontinent by combining the solar Hindu calendar
with the lunar Islamic calendar; and
WHEREAS, Different countries of Southeast Asia observe the new year
around the same day, including Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Sri
Lanka, and large parts of India; and
WHEREAS, Mongol Shobhajatra, the traditional mass procession taken
out by University of Dhaka at dawn on New Year Day has been declared an
intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2016, categorized on the
representative list as a heritage of humanity; and
WHEREAS, Leading lights and doyens from Bengal like Rabindranath
Tagore, Swami Vivekananda, and others have been visiting the United
States since the latter part of the 19th century and the United States
has played a critical role in their lives and will continue to do so in
Bengali renaissance down the line; and
WHEREAS, Bangladeshi immigrants began arriving in the United States
in the late 19th century, leaving behind the hard economic and political
times of the still developing Bangladesh, which achieved independence
from Pakistan in 1971; and
WHEREAS, During this time, the largest groups of Bangladeshi
immigrants arrived in New York City and even now more than 10,000
Bangladeshis immigrate to United States annually with half of them
residing in New York City; and
WHEREAS, Countless Bangla speaking Americans have enriched America
across multiple fields like arts, business, education, healthcare, and
literature; some of the leading names in these fields are Abhijit
Banerjee, Vishaan Chakravarti, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Amar Gopal Bose, among
many others; and
WHEREAS, New York City has the largest congregation of Bengali (the
world's sixth most spoken language) speaking citizens globally outside
of West Bengal and Bangladesh; and
WHEREAS, Many leading fine arts legends from Bangladesh and West
Bengal have spent a significant time of their lives in New York
contributing to its diverse cultural heritage; most notably are Fazlur
Rahman Khan, Ali Akbar khan, Rumman Alam, Shahid Quadri, Jhumpa Lahiri,
Enaytur Rahim, Debabrata Basu, Amitav Ghosh, Iqbal Quadir, Jawed Karim,
Salman Khan and Omar Ishrak; and
WHEREAS, Bangla New Year has been celebrated with pomp and gaiety
since late 1990s in vast areas of Queens and in Times Square, Manhattan
since 2022; the day is celebrated with community singing and
performances by 100+ groups from India, Bangladesh, and the United
States; and
WHEREAS, For three decades, Muktadhara Foundation, a New York based
organization dedicated to the promotion of Bengali culture has
celebrated it history and literature by hosting Bangla Festival and Book
Fair which has been attended by almost all leading litterateurs of
contemporary times; and
WHEREAS, The State of New York recognizes the accomplishments of the
Bengali people around the world as well their perseverance in their
fight for independence; now therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim April 14, 2026, as Bangla
New Year Day in the State of New York, and to recognize the many
contributions of Bangla speaking diasporas in 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 Muktadhara Foundation Inc.
