FAQ

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I am new to the area- how do I connect with BANC?

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• Welcome! We are glad to have you join our wonderful and active Bengali community. There are several ways to conta            Attend a BANC event – We promise you an authentic experience. Our scheduled events for the year are listed on           our program page.

• ​Get on our “Friends of BANC” email list – This is a great way to stay informed on cultural events happening across the Triangle. We respect our email-list members and do our best not to flood your inbox. 

• Connect on Social Media – We have a Facebook page where members and friends post and share events and news important to our community. The page is moderated.

• Contact us on the Web – You can send the executive committee an email through our web form.

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 What are the benefits to becoming a member?

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Glad you asked! Please visit our membership page that explains our benefits in greater detail. We assure you that your membership is a value proposition. Bengali Association of North Carolina is one of the largest community organizations that represents Bengalis in the Triangle. We give our members a voice in shaping the perception of Asians in the community and a measurable return on investment though our many cultural showcases, publications and networking opportunities. Engaged members have a unique opportunity to truly find a home away from home.

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I want to attend Durga/Saraswati Puja. Do I need to pay for that?

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Yes! For attending Durga/Saraswati Puja, offering anjali, participating in the cultural program, receiving bhog and prasad, there is an event fee. Please refer to our Events page to know more about the individual member and non-member rates for each year. We have convenient options for families, individuals and students to pay online.

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Who are considered dependents while paying for Puja subscriptions?

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All children below the age of 18 and visiting parents from India are considered dependents. For member families, children and dependent attend all our events without an y extra charges. Non- members pay a nominal charge for dependents.

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What is the period covered by Annual membership?

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The membership is for a calendar year and is valid from 1st Jan to Dec 31st. A frequent misconception is that, it is from Puja to Puja. In fact, we require membership dues to be paid at or prior to Saraswati puja to avail membership rates and benefits for the year.If you are new to the area and/or did not have the opportunity to attend Saraswati Puja, you can pay your membership dues online, through our website or send in a check to the treasurer, prior to the end of Durga puja to avail membership benefits for Durga Puja. Your membership benefits end December 31 no matter what month you pay your dues. So, the membership that you paid during Durga Puja was for previous year and it does not carry over to the next year.

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I am a non-member, can my children perform on stage during puja?

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Participation in a BANC cultural event is an exclusive benefit for our members.

Events during programs like Saraswati puja are not only performed by children but also coordinated and facilitated by our members. We use our puja cultural programs as a forum for our member families to participate and provide educational opportunities for children to experience Bengali music and performing art. We completely respect your decision about membership and thank you for understanding our stand on this. We encourage you to speak to one of our many members about their experience with membership in BANC.

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Have a question for the BANC Exec Committee ask them here!