In its strive to open up, listen, and hear objective suggetions seeking self-improvment, BUFLA formed an “indpependent body” of Advisors,
known as “ADVISORY COUNCIL”. The “Chair” existed since 2007, but the “Council of Advisors” was fromed in 2014. The esteemed members were drawn from the
Community. They were meticulously selected, based on any one or more of the four distinct criteria, crafted with an acronym “RPWC”: (R)eputation in society,
(P)hilanthropy, (W)isdom to advice, and (C)ontribuitons to mainstram and Bangladeshi Communities.
The Council is an OPEN Forum, without a limit of number of good-willed and wise members of our vibrant Community who are willing and able
to engage in ushering in “Change” they want and guide BUFLA to new heights.If you’d like to nominate a member, or desire to be one, please contact or
Chair of Advisory Council at omarhuda@aol.com
BUFLA – Bangladesh Unity Fererationof Los Angeles is a “Federartion of Organizations” of Bangladeshi-American origin in Greater Los Angles. Formed in
2006 by a group of motivated individuals led by Dr. Mhabub Khan, to build a forum in which all Los Angeles based Banladeshi organizatioscould come under one
large tent, once a year, to march shoulder to shoulder, as one community. We do this side by side with invited guests from the mainstream Angelinoes. That
is how BUFLA has projected our vibrant communty year after year, and established relations both with other communities and our government represntatives
in the City ans State.
Nine years in excistence in 2015, look around and witness the colorful 9th Bangladesh Day Parade. Proudly marching along the streets of
“Little Bangladesh”, covering two major streets of the Metropolis, with thousands of proud Bangladeshi-Americans in contingents holding organizational banners, horses,
floats, flowers, giant flags, side by side with delegates from the City of Los Angeles and members of various ethnic communities that make up our Great Metropolis of the
City of Angels, BUFLA marches on festively to celebrate Bangaldesh Independnce Day.This is a testimony to patriotism of the land we came from, and our new adopted homeland.
Are you not yet a part of it?
Most know BUFLA for this main annual signature event. But the Ferderation has expanded its activities way beyond the Annual Parade. Every year,
BUFLA organizes local and international Charities, free Heath Clinic, Commuity Iftar, Formal Annual Dinner and new events added every year.
But the greatest good that BUFLA has delivered is a FORUM. Once a month, leaders of all member organizations sit around a round table at BUFLA’s
own office at 1133 Vermont Steet #220 in the heart of Los Angeles, to discuss, debate, vote, shape and fromulate BUFLA strategies and policies. They are
the “Excecutive Committee [EC]”, the main force behind BUFLA. The meetings and activities are led by a Cabinet, who earn their honorable seats though
elctions overseen by an independed body called the “Board of Trustee (BOT)”. Several times a year, a “General Aeembly” meeting is held where all members-
Executive, Asscoiate, General - along with members of the Community-at-large meet, question, discuss current and future role and activites of BUFLA.
All of this is guided by BUFLA Constitution that took years in the nmaking and lays out general guidelines and some executable specifics . Everyting is
trasparent and is available at the informative web site www.BUFLA.com.
None of these existed in the large, ever-growing and vibrant Bangladeh Community in Los Angeles before 2006. We saw a community embrioled in disarray,
fights and unhealthy competition. This sea change that BUFLA effected, did not come in a day. BUFLA has evolved through dexterous hard work and monetary
contributions of volunteers who make up BUFLA, with support from large segments of the Community-at-large. Year after year, BUFLA has gone through trials,
some leading to seriuos crisis. BUFLA survived them all though deliberations, intense negotiatins and civil discourse. BUFLA exists and thrives!
All of this is the rosy story. But there is another side. There are still large segments of the Bangladeshi Community who either do not know, or is
apathetic to BUFLA. And then there are others who are defiantly opposed to it. Some even opine that “Instead of unifying the Community, BUFLA devides
it!!”Some small segments openly inimical to BUFLA comprise essentailly of two vocal groups: One who were disciplined or expelled from BUFLA for violating
its Constitution; and another engaged in importing Bangldesh politics here in Los Angeles and have little interest in the Community here.
BUFLA keeps it doores open to ALL members of the Community, at all times, to come in and sit down at the open BUFLA forum and hold it to civil challenge
and try and make the change they seek. No doubt some complaints are genuine, and some simply outrageous. But BUFLA has been, and is open to any civil
face-to-face discourse.
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