• Source: North American Bengali Conference

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. The conference includes performances, readings, discussion, networking, and class reunions.
Performers are often from the United States, Canada, Bangladesh, and India. 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.




2022 Banga Sammelan Chaos


The 42nd NABC which was originally scheduled to be held in 2020 but was canceled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic which was to be held at Westgate Las Vegas. Thus the conference which had originally touted big names like Sonu Nigam, Jeet Ganguli and Padmashree Hariharan was postponed and rescheduled at PLANET HOLLYWOOD RESORT AND CASINO for the weekend of 1st-3rd July. Many of people who registered in 2020 also booked and secured rooms at the previous resort through NABC for the original convention dates. Since that money is handled by CAB and then divided out to the hotel there was virtually no way for convention goers to recoup money even with hotel staff confused saying they never received money from CAB the event goers were left with no way to recoup funds. In 2022 the headliners of the convention were said to have been Sunidhi Chauhan, Amit Kumar, and Sudhesh Bhosle along with many artists from Bangladesh including Jaya Ahsan Abanti Sithi Amina and James Nagar Baul. Bangladesh actor Shakib Khan should have also been the brand ambassador for the conference and was expected to attend. Many other artists from Bengal like Saheb Chatterjee, Madhuraa Bhattacharya, Malabika Sen, and Racharna Bhattacharya were also contracted to appear. On the conference weekend goers were notified that all these artists and more were not to attend citing Visa issues and payment discrepancies. As a last minute saving grace Salim and Sulaiman were booked at a much cheaper rate even when many NABC attendees shelled out over $400 for convention tickets alone to see SUNIDHI CHAUHAN. Many programs were cut or started hours behind schedule or changed halls completely. There we only about 1800 attendees on record this year given the current pandemic situation. Only after the conference did we hear that IMAN CHAKRABARTY AND POUSHALI BANERJEE along with many others from BENGAL including the Sunday Night performer SUNIDHI CHAUHAN were not paid per their written contracts. Even as far as their visa applications were not filed. After the conference CEASARS ENTERTAINMENT the owner of Planet Hollywood as well as many of NABC 2022's affiliate hotels sued Cultural Association of Bengal for not paying event fees and resort fees for an undisclosed amount.




Disorder at the 2023 conference


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. 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. 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


1981: New York City, New York organized by the Cultural Association of Bengal
1982: New York City organized by the Cultural Association of Bengal
1983: New York City organized by the Cultural Association of Bengal
1984: Boston, Massachusetts organized by Prabasi of New England
1985: Baltimore, Maryland organized by Prantik of Baltimore
1986: Cleveland, Ohio organized by Bengali Cultural Society, Cleveland Ohio
1987: San Francisco/San Jose, Bay Area Auditorium at the California School for the Deaf, Fremont, California organized by Bay Area Prabasi
1988: Atlantic City, New Jersey, Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall organized by Kallol NJ
1989: New York City organized by the Cultural Association of Bengal
1990: Maryland, University of Maryland organized by Sanskriti DC
1991: Boston area, Lowell, Massachusetts organized by Prabasi Of New England
1992: Toronto, Ontario, Canada organized by PBCA Toronto
1993: Los Angeles, California, California State University, Fullerton organized by Dakshini Los Angeles
1994: Chicago, Illinois, Hyatt Regency O'Hare organized by the Bengali Association of Greater Chicago (BAGC)
1995: New York Metro Area, White Plains, New York organized by the Cultural Association of Bengal
1996: Houston, Texas, Adam's Mark Hotel organized by the Tagore Society of Houston
1997: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Valley Forge Convention Center, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania organized by Pragati Philadelphia
1998: Toronto, Regal Constellation organized by PBCA Toronto
1999: San Francisco Bay Area, Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara, California organized by Bay Area Prabasi
2000: Atlantic City, New Jersey, Atlantic City Convention Center and Kolkata, India organized by Kallol NJ and others
2001: Boston, Paul Tsongas Arena Lowell MA organized by Prabasi of New England
2002: Atlanta, Georgia World Congress Center organized by the South Eastern Bengali Association
2003: Long Beach, CA, Long Beach Convention Center organized by the Dakshini Bengali Association of California
2004: Baltimore, Baltimore Convention Center organized by Sanskriti DC
2005: New York City, Madison Square Garden organized by the Cultural Association of Bengal
2006: Houston, George R. Brown Convention Center organized by the Tagore Society of Houston
2007: Detroit, Cobo Hall organized by the Bengali Association of Greater Michigan
2008: Toronto, Metro Toronto Convention Centre organized by PBCA Toronto
2009: San Jose, McEnery Convention Center organized by Bay Area Prabasi
2010: Atlantic City, Atlantic City Convention Center organized by Kallol of NJ
2011: Baltimore, Baltimore Convention Center organized by Sanskriti DC
2012: Las Vegas, Paris Las Vegas organized by the Cultural Association of Bengal
2013: Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Metro Toronto Convention Centre organized by PBCA Toronto
2014: Orlando, Florida, USA, The Peabody Orlando organized by the Bengali Society of Florida
2015: Houston, Texas, USA, George R. Brown Convention Center organized by the Tagore Society of Houston
2016: New York City, Madison Square Garden organized by the Cultural Association of Bengal
2017: San Francisco, Santa Clara Convention Center organized by Bay Area Prabasi
2018: Atlantic City, Atlantic City Convention Center organized by Ananda Mandir NJ
2019: Baltimore, Baltimore Convention Center organized by Sanskriti DC
2020: In person NABC canceled due to COVID-19. Online philanthropic initiative HOPE 2020 organized by the Cultural Association of Bengal
2021: In person Banga Sammelan canceled, online NABC named NABC GLOBAL was organized by the Cultural Association of Bengal on a virtual reality platform
2022: Las Vegas Nevada, Planet Hollywood Casino and Resort and Zappos Theater organized by the Cultural Association of Bengal
2023: Atlantic City, Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall and Seaview golf club organized by KPC Bengali Hall of Fame Edison NJ
2024: Chicago Illinois, Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center organized by the Bengali Association of Greater Chicago
2025: Toronto Canada, Metro Toronto Convention Centre organized by Toronto Kalibari
2026: TBD




NABC hosting Partner organizations (CAB Sister organizations)


Ananda Mandir, NJ
GSCA NJ
Kallol NJ
BCAA
BASC
Dakshini Los Angeles
Prabasi Bay Area
Uttoron Seattle
Pragati Philadelphia
Prabasi of New England
KPC Bengali Hall of Fame
BSF Florida
Toronto Kalibari
Krishti Edmonton
Prabasi Bengali Cultural Association (PBCA), Toronto
Bengali Association of Greater Chicago (BAGC)
ICC Garden State
ECDPA NY
Vedanta Society NY
Tagore Society of Houston
RDM NJ
Bharatiya Kala Kendra NJ
Paschami Bay Area
Sanskriti Washington DC
Prantik of Baltimore
Sanskriti Bay Area
Saikat San Diego
Bengali Association of Nevada
Bengali Association of Minnesota
Valley Bengali Community LA
Ankur Sacramento
Bengali Community of Sacramento
Anandahwini NY
BADV Newark
Dhroopad INC Washington DC
GSPC, Jersey City
BCS, South Jersey
NASKA Connecticut
Lipilekha NJ
New York Kali Mandir
Chicago Kali Bari
Sreeshti NJ
Mrittrika NJ
Udaan Delaware
Ghorroa Philadelphia
Washington Kali Temple




See also


Bengali language
Bengali people
World Sylhet Convention




References






External links


2024 conference website
Ananda Mandir – partner organization in New Jersey
Bengali Association of Greater Chicago – partner organization in Illinois
Prabasi of New England – partner organization in Massachusetts
Tagore Society of Houston – partner organization in Texas

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Perang Dunia II
• Cincinnati Bengals
• Gelombang badai
• Kukang
• Amartya Sen
• M. N. Roy
• Theravāda
• New York (negara bagian)
• Daftar negara berdaulat
• Aksara Brahmi
• North American Bengali Conference
• Bengali Americans
• Ujaan Ganguly
• Taslima Nasrin
• San Jose Convention Center
• Bengali language
• Indian Americans
• Santa Clara Convention Center
• Shwapnil Shojib
• Shakib Khan