FOBANA
The Federation of Bangladeshi Associations in North America (FOBANA), is one of the oldest Bangladeshi organizations in North America. Established in 1987, the organization's primary goal is to organize annual conventions across the country hosted by various member Bangladeshi associations. The organization is registered in Washington, D.C., and received its 501(c)(3) status in 2007. History The Federation of Bangladeshi Associations in North America was formed in 1987 as an umbrella organization for the numerous Bangladeshi associations in the United States and Canada. As of 2021, it consisted of "almost 75 member organizations". Activities FOBANA organizes an annual convention hosted by one or more FOBANA member organizations. The convention is award at the annual general meeting two years in advance so that the host organization has enough time to prepare for the convention successfully. The first FOBANA convention was held in Washington, D.C. in 1987. Since then, the annual convention has become the organization's flagship event. It is held over the Labor Day weekend in a different North American city each year. Although the organization claims to be non-political, in 1994, 1995, and 1996, political factions of FOBANA staged parallel conventions. Competing factions again held separate conventions in 2008. Political scientist