NY J01699

Requests Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim April 14, 2026, as Bangla New Year Day (Pohela Baisakh) in New York State

Recognizes New York City as having the largest Bengali-speaking population globally outside of West Bengal and Bangladesh, with over 10,000 Bangladeshi immigrants arriving in the U.S. annually

Acknowledges the cultural significance of Bangla New Year, a largely secular holiday with origins in the Mughal Empire, celebrated through music, dance, and fine arts

Notes that UNESCO declared the Mongol Shobhajatra procession at University of Dhaka an intangible cultural heritage in 2016

Highlights contributions of Bengali Americans across arts, business, education, healthcare, and literature, including Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee, author Jhumpa Lahiri, and Bose Corporation founder Amar Gopal Bose