WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Gary Peters submitted the following language on the Floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to be included in the permanent record of the United States of America.  This Congressional Record Statement will forever be a part of American history and for generations can be read by visiting the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. and also by clicking the following link: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CREC-2013-06-20/pdf/CREC-2013-06-20-pt1-PgE932-4.pdf#page=1

House of Representatives 

IN RECOGNITION OF THE OUTSTANDING COMMITMENT OF DR. NAZMUL HASSAN TO THE BANGLADESHI-AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN MICHIGAN AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY

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HON. GARY C. PETERS

OF MICHIGAN 

MR. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my longtime friend, Dr. Nazmul Hassan, as he is recognized by the Bangladeshi-American community in Michigan for his many years of stalwart guidance and leadership.  Known to friends as Shahin, Dr. Hassan has been a strong voice for Bangladeshi-Americans, not just in Michigan, but across the United States of America.  As an immigrant to our nation, Shahin is emblematic of one of the greatest strengths of our nation, our ability to bring the best and brightest from across the world.

Before coming to Michigan, Shahin was a leader in his birth country of Bangladesh.  His commitment to service is an ideal he learned at a young age, from watching his father, who was an educator and prominent elected leader in Bangladesh having served as a Member of Parliament for four terms.  The value of service to the community is one that Shahin brought with him when he arrived in the United States as a student in 1991.  Shahin later went on to earn a Masters of Science in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering in 1996, and in 2011, he completed his Doctorate in Industrial Engineering from Wayne State University.  In his professional work, he worked for both Delphi Automotive and Ford Motor Company.

While his educational and professional pursuits are impressive, nowhere has his passion been felt more greatly than in his tireless advocacy for the Bangladeshi-American population.  In his tenure as the President and Chairman of the Michigan Bangladeshi American Democratic Caucus (BADC), Shahin has worked within his community to organize its members and raise issues of importance to them in the public arena.  His work has included assisting community members with a wide range of issues, from immigration to helping families in need obtain basic necessities.  He has been a source of information for his community on pressing policy issues such as human rights, foreign affairs and health care.  In particular, during the debate on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act he organized discussions within the Bangladeshi community to raise awareness of health care issues.

In my time representing Michigan in the United States Congress, I have been fortunate to call Shahin a valued friend and trusted advisor.  Thanks to his leadership, I have developed close relationships with Bangladeshi constituents and am honored to serve as a leader of the Bangladeshi Congressional Caucus in Washington, D.C.  Shahin’s passion for his community and his support of cross-cultural dialogue, both in Michigan and across the country, have earned him numerous accolades, including the 2011 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom Award from the Michigan Democratic Party.

Mr. Speaker, our unparalleled ability to attract the best and the brightest from around the world and bring them to our country, where they make significant contributions to our future, is one of our nation’s greatest strengths.  Dr. Nazmul Hassan’s life is an embodiment of the American Dream and for his work, our nation is a better place.  I am grateful to both Shahin and his family for the many experiences they have shared with me and I wish Dr. Hassan well as he continues to represent the interests of Bangladeshi-Americans in his new endeavors. Press Release.