The Bangladesh Students’ Association hosted their annual Bangladesh Night in the Volstorff Ballroom in the Student Union Sunday, Feb 1. The night showcased Bangladeshi culture with traditional cuisine, folk dances and even a fashion show.

To start off the evening, there were various speakers to welcome the audience, which consisted of students from across the globe, as well as the Brookings community. Oepke “Ope” Niemeyer, the mayor of Brookings, spoke along with Dennis Hedge, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. The last speaker was Amatun Nur Mou, the president of the Bangladesh Students’ Association. 

“Bangladesh is a very small country, this is an event for all Bangladeshi…it’s a very big event for us. We all enjoy [it].” said Mou.

There was then a solo dance and a girls group dance. Screens beside the performers showed titles of songs and their meanings so that the audience could understand the theme of each song. A musical choir followed.  

Guests were treated with dinner that included traditional Bangladeshi food such as egg curry, veg samosa, plain polao and daal curry, which was made by Sodexo, the university’s dining service. 

Two attendees of the event, Wilfrid0 Villela, a senior pharmacy major and Paige Oswald a junior civil engineering major, said it was their first time attending and were excited to be there, and to try the food. 

“We are both CAs in Caldwell [Hall] and our GA, she is from Bangladesh, she really wanted to come here and we really wanted to come here too. Plus she made us Bangladeshi food before, so we wanted to obviously try more things [here,]” said Villela. 

The Association then showed more dances, a short documentary about the country and a fashion show to display traditional Bangladeshi clothing. 

“My favorite part is the dancing… and the dress-up,” said Mou. 

For the Bangladesh Students’ Association, this night is their biggest event of the year and it is the most anticipated. 

Mou said that the association raises funds for their event themselves in order to put it on each year.

“We have to raise funds… [for] this type of event,” said Mou. [It] takes us like $10,000… we worked with Sodexo to get money… so that is a challenge… because we want to showcase our culture.” 

She also said that the decorations aren’t provided for them and they have to make everything themselves.

Bangladesh Night has been an annual event since 2016, except for 2021 and 2022 due to COVID-19, said Mou. 

“We do Bangladesh Night every year, we are showing our… activities and showcasing our foods, we love to do that, and for that we do very hard work,” said Mou.

Ainsley Boucher, a junior human biology major from SDSU, said that she knew people performing in the event, and that it was her first time being there as well. 

“I knew quite a few people [involved in the event,] a few friends, lab workers, my TAs (teacher’s assistants), and a couple of other people,” she said. “I really liked the music and all of the lights and the culture.” 

After the event was over the Bangladesh Students’ Association thanked everyone in the audience for attending. The association then gathered on the stage for a group photo.  

“I want you guys to remember us,” said Mou. “Your guys’s support… and your guys’s presence means a lot to us, and (Bangladesh Night) is like our main festival now at SDSU… [and] we want to celebrate it all together with you all.”

Correction: