North American Bengali Conference

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North American Bengali Conference (NABC)
নর্থ আমেরিকান বঙ্গ সম্মেলন
StatusActive
GenreCultural festival
CountryUnited States and Canada
Inaugurated1981 (1981)
Most recent2023 (2023)
Attendance4000–12,000
Websitecabusa.org

The North American Bengali Conference (NABC) is an annual Bengali culture conference held in the United States and Canada, typically around the weekend of July 4. It was established in 1981 by the Cultural Association of Bengal in New York, and is hosted by a different organization every year.[1] The conference includes performances, readings, discussion, networking, and class reunions.

Performers are often from the United States, Canada, Bangladesh, and India.[1] Audiences are primarily Bangladeshi American, Indian American, Bangladeshi Canadian and Indian Canadian. In 2022, Bangladeshi actor-producer Shakib Khan was appointed as the Bangladesh Outreach Brand Ambassador of NABC, the first and only brand ambassador in the 42-year history of the conference.[2][3][4]

Disorder at the 2023 conference[edit]

The 2023 North American Bengali Conference was held at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City and various events across the city were expected to take place, including a torch procession from Albany Avenue/Bader Field. The conference was expected to generate from around $1 million to $8 million in revenue.[5] Many of the flagship singers and producers that were expected to appear at the conference such as Arijit Singh and Javed Ali did not appear at the conference, which sparked outrage amongst the conference goers. Other small events, such as the opening ceremony, which was supposed to contain a student choir and a talent show, were postponed and cancelled, respectively. Sports were also expected to be held at the event, but they were cut out after the conference failed to bring singers and caused fury. The KPC Hall of Fame President Parthasarathi Mukhopadhyay, who was the chief planner of the event, was blamed by many acclaimed performers and other event conveners such as Jayati Chakraborty, sitarist Sahana Chatterjee and Raghab Chatterjee. [6] The performers at the lineup also said they were denied water, food, and many other performers on the lineup could not stay any longer and left.

After the issues in 2023, the organization began restructuring and pledged to hold the 2024 and 2025 NABCs in a more orderly fashion.

Venues[edit]

Partner organizations[edit]

  1. Ananda Mandir, NJ
  2. GSCA NJ
  3. Kallol NJ
  4. BCAA
  5. BASC
  6. Dakshini Los Angeles
  7. Prabasi Bay Area
  8. Uttoron Seattle
  9. Pragati Philadelphia
  10. Prabasi of New England
  11. KPC Bengali Hall of Fame
  12. BSF Florida
  13. Toronto Kalibari
  14. Krishti Edmonton
  15. Prabasi Bengali Cultural Association (PBCA), Toronto
  16. Bengali Association of Greater Chicago (BAGC)
  17. ICC Garden State
  18. ECDPA NY
  19. Vedanta Society NY
  20. Tagore Society of Houston
  21. RDM NJ
  22. Bharatiya Kala Kendra NJ
  23. Paschami Bay Area
  24. Sanskriti Washington DC
  25. Prantik of Baltimore
  26. Sanskriti Bay Area
  27. Saikat San Diego
  28. Bengali Association of Nevada
  29. Bengali Association of Minnesota
  30. Valley Bengali Community LA
  31. Ankur Sacramento
  32. Bengali Community of Sacramento
  33. Anandahwini NY
  34. BADV Newark
  35. Dhroopad INC Washington DC
  36. GSPC, Jersey City
  37. BCS, South Jersey
  38. NASKA Connecticut
  39. Lipilekha NJ
  40. New York Kali Mandir
  41. Chicago Kali Bari
  42. Sreeshti NJ
  43. Mrittrika NJ
  44. Udaan Delaware
  45. Ghorroa Philadelphia
  46. Washington Kali Temple

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag রায়, প্রবীর (July 1, 2016). আমেরিকায় বঙ্গ সম্মেলনের সেকাল একাল. Anandabajar Patrika (in Bengali).
  2. ^ "Shakib Khan appointed Brand Ambassador of NABC". The New Nation. Retrieved 2023-06-21.
  3. ^ "Shakib becomes Bangladesh brand ambassador at Banga Sammelan". Bangladesh Post. Retrieved 2023-06-21.
  4. ^ "Shakib Khan appointed Brand Ambassador of North America Bengali Conference". The Daily Star. 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2023-06-21.
  5. ^ Writer, ERIC CONKLIN Staff (2023-06-15). "North American Bengali Conference coming to Atlantic City". Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  6. ^ "We deserve better, say Bengali artistes after US festival fiasco". The Times of India. 2023-07-09. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj "About NABC". Cultural Association of Bengal. Retrieved 2018-06-11.
  8. ^ Kumar Sankar, Majumder (1987-09-18). "Prabasi Hosts Successful North American Bengali Conference". India West. San Leandro, California, USA.
  9. ^ "The Heritage of Bengal: West coast hosts its first Bengali conference". India Currents. San Jose, California. 1997-09-30. p. 11.
  10. ^ a b Mozumder, Suman Guha (2012-05-18). "A visionary who helped keep the Bengali culture and heritage alive in the New Jersey Bengali community'". India Abroad. p. A38.
  11. ^ "Tenth Annual Bengali Conference in July". India West. 1990-01-19.
  12. ^ "The Bengali experience". The Globe and Mail. July 18, 1992.
  13. ^ Dongre, Archana (1993-07-09). "Bengali Fest Celebrated by 2,500 Indians, Bangladeshis". India West.
  14. ^ Vora, Batuk (1993-07-09). "Explorations of Bengali Culture". India Abroad.
  15. ^ "Nritya Jyoti Dance Theatre to Present the Hungry Stones". Asian Pages. Saint Paul, Minnesota. 1994-08-14.
  16. ^ Arora, Vasantha (1995-06-30). "Communist Basu Turns Realist for Dollar". India West.
  17. ^ Dey, Arun Kumar (1995-07-14). "Bengali Atmosphere Pervades All Around". News India-Times.
  18. ^ Swapan, Ashfaque (1996-07-17). "Over 4,000 Attend Gala Bengali Meet in Houston". India West.
  19. ^ Haniffa, Aziz (1996-07-19). "Thousands of Community Members Flock to Conventions". India Abroad.
  20. ^ Lyman, Rick (1997-07-21). "Clinging Tight to Their Heritage, Bengalis Flock to a Homecoming in U.S.". The New York Times. p. C11.
  21. ^ Lelyveld, Nita (July 20, 1997). "Bengalis Gathered to Celebrate Their Culture". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. B02.
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  23. ^ "Thousands Attend Bay Area Prabasi's Durga Puja Fest". India West. 1998-10-09.
  24. ^ Swapan, Ashfaque (1998-11-27). "Vocalist Rashid Khan: Continuing a Tradition". India West.
  25. ^ Tsering, Lisa (1999-04-23). "Kumar Sanu Still on Top, But Competition Is Close Behind". India West.
  26. ^ "Bengali Conference". Trikone. Vol. 14, no. 4. San Francisco: Trikone. October 31, 1999. p. 21.
  27. ^ Roy, Sandip (2009-07-19). "Freedom to choose". India Abroad. pp. A15–A16.
  28. ^ Mozumder, Suman Guha (2000-07-21). "Bengali convention showcases state's culture". India Abroad.
  29. ^ Basu, Moni (July 3, 2002). "5,000 Bengalis to drop into Atlanta for 'ultimate chat'". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. 1E.
  30. ^ Dongre, Archana (2003-07-11). "Long Beach Center Comes Alive With Bengali Culture". India-West.
  31. ^ "5,000 attend Bengali convention". India Abroad. 2003-08-01.
  32. ^ Datta, Jyotirmay (2004-07-30). "Artistic talent showcased, business discussed at 24th North American Bengali Conference". News India-Times.
  33. ^ Swapan, Ashfaque (2005-07-29). "Over 10,000 Attend Bengali Sammelan Fest". India-West.
  34. ^ Joshi, Monika (2006-06-23). "As July 4 approaches, conventions swing into high gear". India Abroad.
  35. ^ "Film festival, energy seminar highlight Bengali convention". India Abroad. 2006-07-28.
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  38. ^ Dutt, Ela (2008-07-18). "More than 6000, attend 28th Bengali Conference in Toronto". News India-Times.
  39. ^ Swapan, Ashfaque (2009-07-10). "Historic Pro-Gay Ruling Hailed". India-West.
  40. ^ Sengupta, Surajit (2008-04-23). "North American Bengali Conference 2009". www.prabasi.org. Bay Area Prabasi. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
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  43. ^ Roy, Sandip (2009-07-17). "Food, friends, nostalgia". India Abroad. pp. A14, A16.
  44. ^ "Mediamorphosis to Coordinate Sponsorships for NABC 2010". India Abroad. 2010-02-05. p. B7.
  45. ^ Dutt, Ela (2011-07-15). "Ethnic Pride, American Dream". News India-Times. New York, NY. pp. 6–9.
  46. ^ Haniffa, Aziz (2011-07-22). "Bengalis bond in Baltimore". India Abroad. pp. A39–A40.
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  50. ^ "ZEE Bangla Launches At NABC 2012". India West. 2012-08-03. p. C14.
  51. ^ Nayar, K.P. (July 12, 2012). "Mamata woos Bengali investors in US". The Telegraph.
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  54. ^ Ghosh, Baswati (July 3, 2013). "Bengalis celebrating a legacy of art, culture and language". South Asian Focus (Ontario ed.).
  55. ^ Mozumder, Suman Guha (2014-07-25). "Arthur can't stop Bengali bonding in Orlando". India Abroad. p. A38.
  56. ^ a b "NABC 2014: Prelude National Bengali Conference 2015 in Houston". Indo American News. July 5, 2014. Retrieved 2017-09-29.
  57. ^ Shah, Manu (2015-07-24). "When Bengal came to Houston". p. A23.
  58. ^ "Celebration of Bengali Culture and Tradition at a Convention in Houston". NDTV.com. July 19, 2015. Retrieved 2017-09-29.
  59. ^ "Banga Sammelan, NABC 2015, Brought Fun, Passion to the Heart of Texas". Indo American News. July 16, 2015. Retrieved 2017-09-29.
  60. ^ "Where Shakespeare meets Birju Maharaj". India Abroad. 2016-08-26. p. A40.
  61. ^ "North American Bengali Conference 2017". Archived from the original on 2017-07-24.
  62. ^ "North American Bengali Conference 2018". Retrieved 2018-06-11.
  63. ^ কর, ড. কোহিনূর. "বঙ্গ সম্মেলনঃ যেন এক মহোৎসব - NABC Global Conference 2021, Sangbad Bichitra, August 2021, pp. 14-17" (PDF).
  64. ^ কর, ড. কোহিনূর. "বঙ্গ সম্মেলন ২০২২-এর উদ্বোধনী..., Sangbad Bichitra, June 2022, pp. 2, 4" (PDF).

External links[edit]