HR 28 — A Resolution designating March 26, 2025, as "Bangladesh Day" in Pennsylvania.

PRINTER'S NO.   317

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



              HOUSE RESOLUTION
                 No. 28
                                                 Session of
                                                   2025

     INTRODUCED BY MALAGARI, FREEMAN, KENYATTA, VENKAT, GIRAL, KHAN,
        SOLOMON, SANCHEZ, D. WILLIAMS, O'MARA, CERRATO AND GREEN,
        JANUARY 27, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, JANUARY 27, 2025


                                  A RESOLUTION
 1   Designating March 26, 2025, as "Bangladesh Day" in Pennsylvania.
 2         WHEREAS, Bangladesh, a country of more than 167 million
 3   people, is a southern Asian country bordering the Bay of Bengal
 4   between Burma and India; and
 5         WHEREAS, When British colonial rule in India ended in August
 6   1947, India was partitioned and two new countries were created,
 7   India and Pakistan; and
 8         WHEREAS, Pakistan was separated into East and West Pakistan,
 9   with East Pakistan eventually becoming modern-day Bangladesh;
10   and
11         WHEREAS, Pakistan's government began as a parliamentary
12   democracy, with an elected constituent assembly tasked with
13   drafting a constitution as well as overseeing the new country's
14   legislative body; and
15         WHEREAS, Tensions between West Pakistan and Bengalis in East
16   Pakistan continued to grow due to the refusal to accept Bengali
17   as the state language of Pakistan, the economic disparities
 1   between the two regions, West Pakistani hegemony and the
 2   declaration of martial law; and
 3         WHEREAS, In 1956, Pakistan adopted a constitution where East
 4   and West Pakistan were both equally represented in government;
 5   and
 6         WHEREAS, Bengalis were still discontented with the Pakistani
 7   government and, following a clash with India over control of
 8   territories in the Kashmir region, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
 9   announced his six-point plan for East Pakistani independence in
10   1965; and
11         WHEREAS, On March 25, 1971, government troops from West
12   Pakistan invaded Dhaka despite negotiations between Yahya Khan,
13   president of Pakistan and commander in chief of the armed
14   forces, and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman occurring over the month of
15   March; and
16         WHEREAS, On March 26, 1971, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared
17   East Pakistan independence following his arrest and
18   transportation to West Pakistan; and
19         WHEREAS, In the following nine months, the Bangladesh
20   Liberation War claimed the lives of an estimated 300,000 to 3
21   million people with 10 million Bengalis fleeing and becoming
22   displaced within India; and
23         WHEREAS, India invaded both East and West Pakistan in defense
24   of East Pakistani autonomy on December 3, 1971, and Pakistani
25   defenses surrendering on December 16, 1971, ensured the official
26   independence of what is now known as the People's Republic of
27   Bangladesh; and
28         WHEREAS, The green and red colors of Bangladesh's national
29   flag symbolize the country's flora and the sun rising over the
30   new country; and

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 1        WHEREAS, There is a Bangladeshi community here in
 2   Pennsylvania, as the Bangladesh Association of Pennsylvania is
 3   located in Lansdale; and
 4        WHEREAS, The Bangladesh Association of Pennsylvania is a
 5   nonprofit cultural organization that seeks to promote
 6   Bangladeshi social and cultural activities in Pennsylvania; and
 7        WHEREAS, The Bangladesh Association of Pennsylvania also aims
 8   to develop increased cooperation and understanding with similar
 9   organizations of other ethnicities in Pennsylvania; therefore be
10   it
11        RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate March
12   26, 2025, as "Bangladesh Day" in Pennsylvania; and be it further
13        RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize and
14   foster the important contributions made by Bangladeshi
15   Pennsylvanians to unify residents of this Commonwealth.




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