BUFLA Charity Night in Los Angeles Raises $101,000 for Vulnerable People in Bangladesh and the US

A charity night organised by the Bangladesh Unity Federation of Los Angeles (BUFLA) in Los Angeles has raised 101,000 US dollars in donations.

BUFLA Charity Night 2026 was held last Sunday at the Church of Scientology of the Valley auditorium in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, under the message of 'Spreading Love'.

BUFLA leaders said this is the highest amount ever raised at a charity event in the organisation's history. BUFLA president Elias M Sikder and charity coordinator Saleh Kibria said this is the first time donations at a charity event have exceeded 100,000 dollars.

The aim of the fundraising is to stand beside helpless and disadvantaged people in Los Angeles as well as helpless and destitute people in Bangladesh. The fund is raised every year with donations and support from expatriate Bangladeshis.

BUFLA charity coordinator engineer Saleh Kibria and members of the charity committee played an important role in coordinating the event and its activities. The committee members are Abul Hashem, Jasim Ashrafi, Khandaker Alam, Morshed Haider, Shipa Chowdhury, Nazrul Alam, Shamsuddin Manik and Shahidul Islam.

Elias Sikder said this achievement is not only about the amount of money collected; it carries hope for people, empathy, and a commitment to change lives through collective effort.

BUFLA general secretary Syed Nasir Zebul said BUFLA is not an organisation of one person or a few people; it is an organisation of the whole community. He said participation and cooperation at the event proved that expatriate Bangladeshis are united on the welfare of their community and its people.

Members of BUFLA's 2026-2028 term also assisted in the programme. They include vice president Daud Bafatia, general secretary Syed Nasir Zebul, finance secretary Russell Mahmud, organising secretary Khorshed Alam, public relations secretary Masuk Al Raihan and cultural secretary Shayla Rumi.

Saleh Kibria told Prothom Alo that over the past 15 years BUFLA's humanitarian work has shown transparency, honesty and dedication to human service, which is how it earned people's trust. He said that trust is their biggest achievement and also a big responsibility.

BUFLA helps not only in Bangladesh but also Bangladeshis living in the United States. Alongside standing beside flood and natural disaster affected families, insolvent people and disadvantaged groups in Bangladesh, it helps families in financial crisis, sick people and help-seeking expatriate Bangladeshis in the local Los Angeles community.

BUFLA's ongoing and planned activities include housing for helpless families, safe water, winter clothing distribution, burial assistance and standing beside poor children. Under its self-reliance programme there are initiatives to give sewing machines to insolvent women and livestock, goats and rickshaw vans for employment. A new healthcare programme plans dialysis support for kidney patients, wheelchairs for disabled people and eye care support for the visually impaired. The organisers said the collected fund will be spent on these humanitarian activities.

At the event, California BNP donated 3,500 dollars to buy 50 wheelchairs. Its president Badrul Alam Chowdhury told Prothom Alo the wheelchairs will help people unable to move with independence, dignity and daily life.

Shahid Alam said there is a plan for another fundraising event around BUFLA's parade and festival in January 2027, with a target of raising 100,000 dollars. Mallika Haque and Mahbubul Haque performed music at the event.

BUFLA was founded on June 4, 2006 in Los Angeles through the initiative of 25 Bangladeshi organisations and 40 community leaders. It now works as a federation of 31 Bangladeshi organisations in the Los Angeles area. It became known in the community by organising the first Bangladesh Day Parade in 2007.