Bangladeshi New Yorkers marked 25 September with official recognition from the state legislature. A resolution adopted by the New York State Senate asks Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim 25 September 2026 as Bangladeshi Immigrant Day in the State of New York and to recognise the contributions of Bangladeshi Americans to the state.
The resolution, J1806, was sponsored by Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, a Democrat who represents the 11th Senate District in Queens. It was referred to the Finance Committee on 19 March 2026 and adopted on 24 March.
What the resolution says
The text notes that New York City is home to the largest Bangladeshi community in the United States, and names Jackson Heights in Queens as its best-known neighbourhood. It states that more than 250,000 Bangladeshi-born immigrants live across New York State, and that 2026 marks more than five decades of partnership between Bangladesh and the United States.
The date was chosen for a reason. On 25 September 1974, Bangladesh's founding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman delivered the first speech in the Bengali language at the United Nations General Assembly, days after Bangladesh became a UN member. The resolution refers to that speech as a historic moment for Bengali speakers worldwide.
The resolution also recognises the Muktadhara Foundation, a New York cultural organisation that has worked for more than 20 years to promote Bengali language and culture through festivals and community events. Copies were sent to the governor and to the foundation's founder and chief executive, Bishawjit Saha.
What a memorialising resolution does
A Senate resolution of this kind is a formal request and a statement of recognition. It does not by itself create a public holiday or change any law. Whether the governor issues a proclamation is a separate decision of the governor's office.
A community with deep Bikrampur roots
Bangladeshi New Yorkers live mainly in Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx, with large clusters in Jackson Heights, Jamaica, Kensington and Parkchester. Many families trace their roots to Munshiganj and the wider Bikrampur area, and diaspora associations from the district have been active in the city for decades, running welfare funds, cultural evenings and support for schools back home.
For many in the community, the date has added meaning this year. Bangladesh's Prime Minister addressed the UN General Assembly in Bangla on 24 September, the day before the date chosen in the resolution.
Sources: nysenate.gov, en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org
