Welcome to the website of the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, D.C.

I would like to take this opportunity to share some of my thoughts with Bangladeshi compatriots and Bangladeshi–Americans in the United States, on how they can help to build bridges between Bangladesh and the United States and help take Bangladesh-US relations further forward meaningfully.  There are two distinct ways in which you can help:  firstly, through a participatory process in the United States, and secondly through another participatory process in Bangladesh.

Let me amplify on the first of these. The United States is the great and powerful nation that it is today primarily because of the cumulative genius of, and dynamic contribution to all-round societal development by, immigrants from all over the world.  This process began with the first adventurous people from overseas who set foot on the soil of the North American continent over two hundred and more years ago.  As successive waves of immigrants settled in this new land, they also melded into the new national society they helped to expand without necessarily losing their original cultural heritage that they brought with them.  Rather, their own distinctive cultural traits enriched and formed a new culture and tradition, which has become known over the passing years as “the American way of life”.  This new culture of the new brave world subsumes in it a medley of old world cultures, from countries and peoples diversely originating from Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America.  However, this happened through a sustained and continuously participatory process by these new immigrants.  I would urge upon all Bangladeshi-Americans now, similarly to lend a new flavor to the American way.  Whenever you celebrate your own cultural traditions, whether in your individual homes or in associations or groups that you have, do invite your native Americans neighbors, friends and associates to share the joys, the sights, the sounds, the tastes and the aroma of your rich culture and traditions.  Invite them to your homes and functions, introduce them to your food, to your songs and dances, to your personal aspirations and your dreams for the home you left behind  At the same time, do also participate in local and national activities of your fellow Americans and fulfill dutifully the civic responsibilities expected of all Americans.  This is the country where one of its most famous sons defined democracy as “government of the people, for the people, by the people”… so those of you who are already citizens of the United States, please do register yourselves as voters, make yourselves known to your local Congressman or Senator, as well as members of your state legislature and your local government. Stand up and be counted. To those who hold Green Cards and aspire to become US citizens, I say: be not shy, but dare to dream and also be participatory in local community activities. Through your merging with the American mainstream, you will also be able to kindle an ever-brightening spark of positive interest in the land of your origin, Bangladesh. You will be the window to Bangladesh for every native American you reach out to and touch. Bangladesh will be known and judged by the face you present to them.  In your unique ways, each of you is an ambassador of Bangladesh to this great land of opportunities

Now, let me expand on the second theme of my discourse. Young Bangladeshi-Americans and Bangladeshis living and studying in the United States are fortunate in having recourse to and learning from among the best educational institutions in the world here.  I have a proposal for them.  Allow me to recall here the words of another famous American: “ask not what your country can do for you, rather ask what you can do for your country”.  Many of you have a yearning to rediscover your roots, and many of you do go from time to time, during your vacation period, to visit your ancestral homes in the cities, towns and villages across Bangladesh.  While meeting your friends and relations and spending quality time is definitely important, you could turn your visit of a few weeks, or months, into a very productive one as well for Bangladesh.  Think of doing an attachment or internship with one of the several well-known NGO’s, or Bangladesh government’s own rural development programs if they provide such opportunities, and work with young people of your age, or people younger or older than you, all thirsty to learn from you. You can be the pathfinders of what could develop into a “Bangladeshi-American Development Corps”.  Share with Bangladeshis some of what you have learnt here in this adopted country of yours, whether it be in technical fields, social or applied sciences or foreign languages. I promise you, it will be a memorable experience for you and for those you will interact with.  I would like to set up in this Embassy a data-base of Bangladeshi-Americans who may be interested in participating in such a program. We will then try and make this available to interested institutions in Bangladesh, facilitating initial contact.  Simply drop us a few lines at the following e-mail address (info@bangladoot.org) the following particulars:  Your name, age, sex, current field of studies, your home town/village in Bangladesh, when you will be available for such an internship, and for how long, whether you have relatives or friends there with whom you can stay (address not needed at this stage); and whether you can bear the cost of travel yourself.  You could each be the window to new ideas for development for your Bangladeshi compatriots at the grass-roots level.  Depending on the response I receive from you, I shall formally propose to some of the leading NGO’s like Grameen and BRAC, as well as to the government for devising such a program, at the end of which a certificate of internship may also be given to those of you who do participate. Perhaps we can look into the feasibility also of working out an arrangement with the schools and Universities here to give you credit for such internships in Bangladesh.

I wish you all every happiness and success in your endeavors. May Allah Bless you all.  May He bless Bangladesh, and the United States of America.

A.Tariq Karim
Ambassador of Bangladesh
to the United States of America