Every school has a Parent Teachers Association, but only a few Bangladeshis are involved with these associations. Numerous studies have proven it is essential for every parent to be involved with the PTA, in order to help their children succeed in school. Involvement with the PTA protects the interest of the children and paves the way for the fulfillment of the American Dream.

The PTA may also a stepping stone for those interested in community activism and entering America's political arena.

Despite these benefits, Bangladeshi parents hesitate to participate in the PTA. A survey of public schools in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Georgia, California, and Michigan indicates that Bangladeshi parents are not involved in the school. Data also show that Bangladeshi students do not graduate with honors. Some parents say they do not have the time to participate in the PTA, while others say not speaking English well keeps them away.

As well, several factors contributed to the failure of past efforts to organize Bangladeshi parents into their own school groups.

"Many parents want to make higher education available to their children – some who are born here – instead of building up their own fortune as new immigrants. Every parent thinks that educating the children is their main responsibility," said Murshed Alam, former treasurer of Queens School Board 29, "but it will not be an exaggeration to say that the parents are showing continuous reluctance in fulfilling the desired goal."

Alam, now commissioner of the New York City Voter Assistance Commission, once belonged to the PTA at Public School 131, where his children attended, and experienced the benefits of being an active participant. In turn, he used his connections to help bring President Bill Clinton to visit the school. "And as result, the school administration had affection for my children," Alam said, "and the importance of not [only] the school, but of the entire vicinity increased. Had I not been involved with the PTA, I would not know about the School Board. During the period of my work with the Board, I saw that the political careers of several of people who now hold important positions in different fields got their start in the PTA and the School Board."

According to the Census Bureau, more Bangladeshis live in New York than in any other state, where Bangladeshis are making their mark and their children are performing well in school.

But Bangladeshi students and their community can do better, some activists and professionals believe, if parents become involved with the schools. If the parents maintain good relations with school administrations, some say, it would reflect favorably on the community. The PTA also offers contact with other immigrant communities that have children in the school, thus promoting and strengthening community relations.

Yet, several efforts to gain the Bangladeshi parents' participation have failed.

In 2003, a group in Astoria, Queens formed the Bangladesh Parents Association. Bangladeshi parents in Brooklyn were inspired to organize as well, seeing the Astoria organization's activities under the direction of Abul Kalam Azad. But both organizations did not make it past one year.

"We were full of enthusiasm when we organized," said Rezaul Karim Sagir, a father of two who served as director of the Bangladesh Parents Association in Brooklyn, "but after several months, we all lost patience. The association required a lot of time and it became impossible."

Sagir, who is now an employee at the New York Insurance Company and whose children are already in college, added, "Besides, we were also thinking that problem with the [English] language was one of our greatest barriers. No one talks about an interpreter at the PTA meetings."

According to Sagir, plans were discussed to have Bengali offered as a second language at FDR [Franklin D. Roosevelt] High School in Brooklyn, because there were so many Bangladeshi students there; however, some parents argued that the language barrier kept them from attending the school PTA meetings, which were conducted in English. Meanwhile, other highly educated parents, who were fluent in English, said they were too busy with their careers to attend.

"Another factor that contributed to the demise of the Bangladeshi parents' groups was that some people just wanted the titles of president or secretary of the association, but not the work," commented Abul Kalam, of Astoria. "They quickly lost interest in the organization. I had been trying to bring community people to the PTA and talked to many people personally," said Abul Kalam Azad, a bilingual teacher at Long Island City High School, "but no one wants to be involved, honestly."

Azad admonished: "Every parent should know about the education system of this country, and if you are involved with PTA, you will know what your children are doing in school, whether they are continuing their study correctly, whether their behavior is appropriate. Many students are dropping out of school before their high school graduation. This is a matter of great pain for a growing community."

Wasiur Rahman, a guidance counselor at John Bowne High School in Queens, said cultural habit is another reason for the lack of participation among Bangladeshi Americans in the PTA or other school programs.

"One should not forget that people are the slaves of habit," Rahman said. "Even in Bangladesh, 99 percent of parents don't inquire about their children in school. Those parents are now in America."

At John Bowne, however, the parents of Bangladeshi students often make phone calls to inquire about their children, partly because the school has Rahman, a Bengali speaker, who they can call on without any hesitation.

Education experts state that parents must remain alert about the education process and their children's school, if they believe that education is a sure path for their children to fulfill their American Dream. Parents need to make time for this. Parents in the community need to come together in organizations such as Bangladesh Parents Association, and work to inform the entire community about the school system.