Bangladeshi-American Candidates Seek Consensus for Bronx Assembly District-87 Seat

Ahead of the 4 November New York City elections, including the mayoral race, the Bangladeshi-American community in New York is actively organizing to consolidate its political presence. In Brooklyn, Shahana Hanif has already won the Democratic primary for the City Council, becoming the party’s official nominee.

In the Bronx, three Bangladeshi-American candidates Zakir Chowdhury, Imran Shah Ron, and Jamal Hossain expressed interest in running for the State Assembly District-87 seat. To select a single candidate for the upcoming election, an open discussion meeting was held on 23 August at Mamun Tutorial in the Straling Banglabazar area of the Bronx.

The meeting, moderated by Reza Abdullah, included speeches from prominent community leaders such as Siraj Uddin Sohag, Juned Chowdhury, Mohammad N. Majumdar, Riaz Uddin Kamran, Kapil Uddin Chowdhury, Zakir H. Chowdhury, Abdul Muhit, Mahbub Alam, Almas Ali, Masud Hossain, Sarwar Chowdhury, and Bilal Uddin. A large number of local Bangladeshi expatriates also attended, including Sheikh Shafiqul Rahman, Khalilur Rahman, and Shaheen Kamali.

After extensive discussion, it was decided that one candidate will be nominated to represent the community in the main election. A 21-member nomination committee has been formed to review all processes and select the most suitable candidate based on consensus and community input.

Speakers highlighted the growing influence of Bangladeshi voters in the Bronx and emphasized the importance of having a representative in the State Assembly to voice the community’s interests. Many agreed that choosing a qualified candidate is a crucial challenge for the community.