Sherpur District Association Holds Annual Picnic and Reunion in New York
The Sherpur District Association USA held its annual picnic and reunion in a festive atmosphere on September 6 at Belmont Lake State Park in Babylon, Long Island.
More than 250 expatriate residents of Sherpur, their well-wishers and community leaders from different districts attended the daylong event, organized in memory of Sher Ali Gazi, the last zamindar of the Gazi dynasty and a renowned spiritual scholar.
The event was formally inaugurated around noon with the release of colorful balloons. Masum Billah Shishir, general manager of Marks Home Care, represented chief guest Engineer Mahfuzul Haque, CEO of Marks Home Care and Queens Adult Day Care.
The program featured sports competitions, cultural performances and a raffle draw. A discussion session was held later in the afternoon, chaired by association President Engineer Prodosh Chakraborty. Among those who spoke were Masum Billah Shishir, physician Dr. Safiullah Shibli, Kamruzzaman Kamrul, Mohammad Saeed, Md. Mizanur Rahman, First Alo Executive Editor Md. Monzurul Haque, former president Mamun Rashid and General Secretary Md. Chamedul Haque.
Association Chief Adviser and journalist Md. Abul Kashem said the annual gathering provides an opportunity for expatriate Sherpur residents to come together, while also helping introduce the district’s history and heritage to the younger generation.
The raffle featured 13 prizes, including a New York-Dhaka-New York airline ticket as the first prize, gold jewelry as the second prize and a 55-inch television as the third prize. A laptop and other prizes were also awarded.
The event also brought together former officials, community leaders, journalists, businesspeople and professionals from the Bangladeshi-American community. Local artists performed patriotic songs throughout the day, while association General Secretary Chamedul Haque Jhontu moderated the program.
