General Membership Eligibility & Voting Rights
General Membership (Constitution: Article VII, Section 1 & Section 2)
An individual may become a General Member if he or she is:
• A Bangladeshi living in the United States; or
• A U.S. citizen of Bangladeshi origin through:
o Birth
o Blood Relationship (family heritage)
o Naturalization
Applicants must complete the prescribed membership application, submit the required membership fee, and agree to abide by the Constitution and By-Laws of Bangladesh Society, Inc.
Annual Membership Fee $10 per year (Article XV, Section 2.1)
Voting Eligibility
(Constitution: Article IX, Section 4 and Section 5)
To be eligible to vote in a Bangladesh Society election, a member must:
1. Be a Member in Good Standing (Article IX, Section 5)
A member in good standing is one who:
• Has paid all required membership dues and financial obligations;
• Is not under any disciplinary action; and
• Maintains an active membership status in accordance with the Constitution.
2. Maintain Membership for Three (3) Consecutive Years (Article IX, Section 4 – Amendment Approved February 15, 2026) A member must remain in good standing for three (3) consecutive calendar years prior to the election date.
3. Pay Membership Dues by June 30 of the Election Year (Article IX, Section 4) Membership dues must be paid on or before June 30 of the election year to qualify for voting rights.
Important Note for General Members
A General Member does not obtain voting rights immediately upon joining the Society.
To vote in an election, a General Member must:
✓ Maintain membership continuously for three (3) consecutive calendar years.
✓ Remain a member in good standing.
✓ Pay all required dues by June 30 of the election year.
Only after meeting all of these requirements will the member become eligible to vote in Bangladesh Society elections.
Membership Application Requirements (Amended)
Although the eligibility itself was not amended, the application process was amended in the February 15, 2026 amendment.
Amendment 07 – Article VII, Section 2.1 (Applications)
Added provisions:
• Membership applications may be submitted online if the Executive Committee offers that option.
• To become eligible as a voter through an online application, the application must be submitted at least 15 days before the voter-registration deadline.
• If multiple applications are submitted by the same applicant, only one application will be accepted and all others will be canceled.
• No refund will be made for canceled duplicate applications.
An individual may become a General Member if he or she is:
• A Bangladeshi living in the United States; or
• A U.S. citizen of Bangladeshi origin through:
o Birth
o Blood Relationship (family heritage)
o Naturalization
Applicants must complete the prescribed membership application, submit the required membership fee, and agree to abide by the Constitution and By-Laws of Bangladesh Society, Inc.
Annual Membership Fee $10 per year (Article XV, Section 2.1)
Voting Eligibility
(Constitution: Article IX, Section 4 and Section 5)
To be eligible to vote in a Bangladesh Society election, a member must:
1. Be a Member in Good Standing (Article IX, Section 5)
A member in good standing is one who:
• Has paid all required membership dues and financial obligations;
• Is not under any disciplinary action; and
• Maintains an active membership status in accordance with the Constitution.
2. Maintain Membership for Three (3) Consecutive Years (Article IX, Section 4 – Amendment Approved February 15, 2026) A member must remain in good standing for three (3) consecutive calendar years prior to the election date.
3. Pay Membership Dues by June 30 of the Election Year (Article IX, Section 4) Membership dues must be paid on or before June 30 of the election year to qualify for voting rights.
Important Note for General Members
A General Member does not obtain voting rights immediately upon joining the Society.
To vote in an election, a General Member must:
✓ Maintain membership continuously for three (3) consecutive calendar years.
✓ Remain a member in good standing.
✓ Pay all required dues by June 30 of the election year.
Only after meeting all of these requirements will the member become eligible to vote in Bangladesh Society elections.
Membership Application Requirements (Amended)
Although the eligibility itself was not amended, the application process was amended in the February 15, 2026 amendment.
Amendment 07 – Article VII, Section 2.1 (Applications)
Added provisions:
• Membership applications may be submitted online if the Executive Committee offers that option.
• To become eligible as a voter through an online application, the application must be submitted at least 15 days before the voter-registration deadline.
• If multiple applications are submitted by the same applicant, only one application will be accepted and all others will be canceled.
• No refund will be made for canceled duplicate applications.