Serving Bangladeshi expats for 3 decades

LEADING LIGHT: Muhammad Abdus Sattar has been living in Qatar for over 37 years.     Photo by Umer Nangiana

By Umer NangianaWorking for the welfare and betterment of the Bangladeshi community for close to three decades, the Jalalabad Association of Bangladesh has not only expanded its membership base but, over the years, also expanded its range of activities for expatriates living in Qatar. “Established in 1984, we have been taking part in various social welfare activities such as providing financial support to the deserving and poor students, arranging medicines for low-income patients besides providing clothes and food for those who cannot afford them at a certain point in time,” Muhammad Abdus Sattar, president of Jalalabad Association of Bangladesh tells Community. Besides giving reception to new members arriving here from Bangladesh, we see off our members at farewell parties who are leaving Qatar for good. The association comprising 133 Executive Committee members and about 500 members in the General Committee elects a new executive committee every two years which is headed by the president. This is Sattar’s second term in office. This is his 37th year in Qatar. “I work as a store keeper at an organisation and I have been there for the past 10 years. Before that I have worked with various other organisations,” says Sattar. In the future, the association plans to hold an education seminar and a medical camp. Last month, they had organised a picnic party and a cake festival. Over 3,000 people from the Bangladesh community were present. The chief guest at the occasion was the Ambassador of Bangladesh, Syed Masud Mahmood Khundoker, who, Sattar acknowledges, has always supported them and their welfare activities. “I am thankful to the Embassy of Bangladesh and the ambassador himself for their continuous support to our activities,” he adds. The association helps community members in need from the pool of money contributed by its members. “We have a mandatory monthly contribution from the members besides donors. Every member has to submit a monthly membership fee which goes to the pool from where we then provide support to the members at the time they need help,” explains the president of the association. “We also have an advisory committee and in cases where we need more money these members provide us with financial support as most of them are established businessmen here and they have been kind enough to generously support us whenever we have been in need,” he adds. “In case of a death, we make all the arrangements for transporting the body to Bangladesh and bear all expenses related to it.” Similarly, the new members who join the association after arriving in Doha, if they do not have jobs, Jalalabad Assocation helps them find employment and till the time they find it, the association provides them with financial support. “Today, we are supporting them, so we expect that tomorrow they would support those who arrive without jobs in the similar fashion,” says Sattar.  All members are bound to abide by the rules and regulations of the association, which include regularly attending the monthly meetings besides making the monthly contribution. They are also expected to respect the seniors in all cases and support their juniors. “We properly conduct interviews before allowing people in. He has to be social-minded and help-oriented. Everyone is not like that and we carefully select them before making them our members,” says the president. It is very easy to find the association when people from Bangladesh land here in Qatar. They have a branch in Shamal area, one in Al Khor, in Industrial Area and other locations as well so people easily get to know about them, mainly through word of mouth. The total population of Bangladeshi people living in Qatar is 225,000 and most of them are employed in technical jobs here, says Sattar. His association, he adds, has provided help to hundreds of people over the years. “All our association members are very committed and devoted toward our cause. They provide help selflessly to the people who need it,” the president adds. “I strongly believe in the phrase that God helps those who help themselves. I also believe that industry is the mother of success. I believe impossible is the thing that is unknown to human beings,” says Sattar. He says his life in Qatar has been really good as he has been able to form new friendships. I have made so many friends other than Bangladeshis. I have so many Indian and Pakistani friends and I have good relations with all of them. His advice to all the newcomers who arrive here is to stay loyal to the original sponsors. If that job is not good and you want to change, then first get a release from the original sponsor and then find a job somewhere else. “We must follow the local laws and rules and regulations which demand you to fulfil your obligations to the original sponsor. If that job is not working then try to get a release as per the law and then we can help them find a new job,” he adds.