25 Years After 9/11, the Memory of Six Bangladeshi Lives Remains Unforgotten
Remembering the Bangladeshi-American victims of the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers; Shah Group expresses profound grief and tribute
Sadia J. Choudhury :
Twenty-five years have passed. But some mornings never grow old.
The morning of September 11, 2001, remains one of the darkest chapters in New York’s history. For the Bangladeshi-American community, it is also a day marked by the loss of beloved lives—men and women who left home that morning as they did every other day, went to work, and never returned.
Among those who lost their lives at the World Trade Center were Bangladeshi-American immigrants whose stories reflected the hopes, sacrifices and dreams of an immigrant generation.
They came to America seeking opportunity and a better future for their families. Some worked in professional and technology-related positions; others worked in the hospitality industry. Their lives were different, but their dreams were much the same: to build a secure and meaningful future for the people they loved.
A Photograph That Keeps a Life Alive
As the 25th anniversary of 9/11 is observed, special remembrance is being given to Mohammad Salahuddin Chowdhury, known to those close to him as “Samu.”
A photograph taken before his death has taken on a profound meaning with the passage of time. It captures a man who could not have known that the ordinary workday ahead would become his final morning.
Salahuddin Chowdhury came to the United States from Bangladesh and built his life in New York. He worked at Windows on the World, the restaurant at the top of the World Trade Center’s North Tower.
He was a husband and father with dreams for his family. He had a young daughter, while his wife was expecting their second child at the time of the attacks.
His son was born only two days after September 11.
For one family, the arrival of a new life and the loss of a father became intertwined in one of the most painful chapters imaginable.
His life ended on September 11. But the family’s grief, memories and unanswered longing did not.
Not Just Six Names—Six Families, Six Worlds
The Bangladeshi-American victims commonly identified in accounts of the attacks include Shakila Yasmin, Nurul Hoque Mia, Mohammad Salahuddin Chowdhury, Mohammad Shahjahan, Shabbir Ahmed and Abul K. Chowdhury.
Behind every name was a family, a home, a profession, a circle of friends and a future that would never be completed.
Shakila Yasmin and Nurul Hoque Mia were husband and wife. Both were working for Marsh & McLennan Companies. Their lives ended on the same tragic morning, leaving their families to carry a loss that time could never fully erase.
Mohammad Shahjahan worked as a computer administrator. Shabbir Ahmed spent years working at Windows on the World. Abul K. Chowdhury was employed by Cantor Fitzgerald.
They did not go to work that morning expecting to become part of history.
They went to work because it was an ordinary Tuesday.
Then everything changed.
The Unfinished Story of Immigrant New York
Every immigrant carries a story.
There is sacrifice in leaving one’s homeland, courage in starting over, and hope in building a new life in an unfamiliar city.
The Bangladeshi victims of 9/11 were part of that story.
They worked, contributed to their workplaces and communities, supported their families and helped build the diverse New York that millions call home.
Their deaths remind us that immigrants are not merely residents of a city—they become part of its history.
Twenty-Five Years Later, the Names Remain
New York has changed dramatically since September 11, 2001.
The skyline has changed. A new generation has grown up. Ground Zero has become a place of remembrance, reflection and mourning.
But the names remain.
Because losing one person means losing an entire world.
A family loses a loved one.
A child loses a parent.
A spouse loses a life partner.
Parents lose a son or daughter.
Friends lose a familiar voice and a familiar face.
Twenty-five years later, remembering them is more than an act of remembrance. It is a responsibility to preserve their stories for future generations.
Shah Group’s Special Tribute and Condolences
Shah Group expresses its deepest sorrow, respect and heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of all those who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
Shah Group extends a special tribute to the Bangladeshi-American victims who came to New York with dreams, worked hard for their families and communities, and never had the opportunity to return home.
“Twenty-five years have passed, but the wounds of September 11 remain deeply etched in our hearts. Those who left home that morning and went to work, never to return to their loved ones, are not merely names in history. Their lives represent a profound chapter in the story of humanity, sacrifice and loss. We extend our deepest sympathy to the families of the Bangladeshi-American victims and honor their lives, their dreams and their enduring memories.”
Shah Group also reaffirms its commitment to humanity, peace, compassion and harmony—and stands firmly against terrorism, hatred and violence in all forms.
We Have Not Forgotten
Twenty-five years later, we still ask:
Where are they now?
They live in our memories.
They are no longer at home, at work or beside the people they loved. But their names remain part of their families’ memories, New York’s history and our collective conscience.
A building can fall.
A skyline can change.
Generations can pass.
But the memory of a human life cannot be erased.
Today, we renew the promise:
WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN.
WE WILL NEVER FORGET.
Never Forget.
September 11, 2001 — Forever in Our Hearts.
— Shah Group
With deepest sorrow, respect and remembrance
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