A Bangladesh-Australian is helping to bridge the cultural divide

Bangladesh-born, he decided to settle in Albion after falling in love with Melbourne’s west.

“It was love at first sight. Albion and Sunshine are what my Australia is,” he said

“I love the mix of many different cultures and languages here. I love a walk down the trail near Kororoit Creek, playing with my kids in the Selwyn Park, or a visit to the Sunshine library or the leisure centre.

“My twin boys go to Albion Primary School. I truly feel at home here.”

Mr Alam is using his skills as a professional interpreter and translator to help the Bangladeshi community connect and integrate into Australia’s social fabric.

“Migration is a difficult journey, and there are many issues in those communities that are direct corollary to this paradigm shift.

“Learning to coexist with others is also an issue. Leadership can help these communities tackle these issues and make Australia a better place.

“The understanding that diversity is an asset rather than a liability, and differences must be celebrated instead of just tolerated, is crucial.

“We all can bring the best from our own culture and enrich Australia.”

Mr Alam was one of 27 people who successfully graduated from Leadership Victoria’s New and Emerging Communities Leadership Program which develops leaders in emerging communities.

He has also co-founded the Victorian Bangla Mobile Library which is connected to the Western Region Bangali School, to help Bangladeshi families keep their language alive and also teach their children to speak in Bangla and English.

“Kids as well as adults can borrow Bangla books from there, and parents can read to their kids to grow interest in another language, which will not only help them to learn their forefathers’ language, but also help them to appreciate the multicultural environment they live in,” he says.

“In Bangla speaking community of Bangladeshi Australians, we have a few ethnic language schools in Melbourne. However, we still had the need for Bangla books as a physical presence of our language in our new homeland — both for kids and adults.”

Source: Herald Sun