An Exceptional 25th Marriage Anniversary
Rafiul Alam (ex – President, The Bangladesh Association in Brisbane Inc and Brisbane Bangla Language School) and his wife Shimu Alam celebrated their 25th Marriage Anniversary on 6 October 2012 at Strathpine Community Centre.
Through this celebration, Rafiul and Shimu have introduced an easy way to do something meaningful for underprivileged people by collecting donations from the invitees for an Australian charity, instead of gifts. Over the years, Rafiul has observed that the Bangladeshi community organise various parties almost every weekend. Invitees of these parties spend time and money in buying gifts which are mostly not useful. So, he requested invitees of this celebration (around 130 families, background from the sub-continent) to donate the amount (budgeted for gift to Rafiul or Shimu) to an Australian charity. The donation initiative was supported generously by the invitees.
Rafiul and Shimu’s marriage story (a story of unconditional love and marriage promise without seeing each other) was presented by classical songs, and popular Bangladeshi and Bollywood dances. The reason behind this presentation was to clarify arrange marriage (when a bride and groom of similar background like each other and then parents organise their marriage) to young Australians of the sub-continental origin. The songs were selected to reflect emotional stresses of Rafiul and Shimu as they could not communicate or see each other due to distance and traditional family values. The dances were selected to reflect joy and happiness in both families when they came together at an appropriate time for them to orgnaise Rafiul and Shimu’s marriage.
In order to give full flavour of a traditional wedding to young Australians of the sub-continental origin, Rafiul and Shimu also organised a Mehendi (henna) Party at Cementco Bowls Club, Darra on 5 October 2012.
The celebration generated endless enthusiasm, joy and happiness among the young Australians of the invitee families. The entertainment part of the celebration will be a life time memory for many of the performers and invitees.
