Bangladeshi Americans have endorsed Eric Adams as the preferred candidate for the New York mayoral race.
While disclosing this on Saturday June 5, 2021, Rise Up New York, a Bangladeshi American political group, stated the endorsement aimed at promoting public safety, economy, and public education, “in which majority of the public concern is focused”.
“New York City’s crimes started to increase dramatically in recent years. Homicides and shootings, primarily gang-related, are on the rise in neighborhoods across the five boroughs,” the group said in a statement.
“The community is now remembering the crime patterns in the 1990s when hundreds of Bangladeshis -like other New Yorkers- were assaulted, robbed, and some were even murdered. Seeing the recent spike in violent crimes, the community feels the city is going back to the gruesome past,” the statement reads.
The group noted that New York City needs a leader who has the knowledge and experience to bring the crimes down, stressing that Mr. Adams is the right candidate for the job.
“He has served more than 20 years in the New York City Police Department, where he rose to the rank of captain before his retirement. Mr. Adams has the field experience, professional background, and a broad understanding of the criminal justice system – crucial for reducing crimes in the city.
“With Mr. Adams’ campaign slogan, ‘Public safety is prerequisite to Prosperity’, it has struck a chord with many New Yorkers, propelling him to number one in recent polls.
“The deterioration of public safety makes the people and businesses leave the city. Tourists from all over the world will now hesitate to come, further downshifting the economy,” the statement adds.
The group condemned the vicious economic cycle within the city.
It said the New York City’s prosperity depends on how the next mayor deals with the inequality in accessing rigorous public education.
“African Americans and Latinos have been constantly denied admission to the top public schools. Many public officials and civic leaders demanded abolishing the Specialized High School Admissions Test, which is a wrong-headed policy.
“Instead of relaxing admission standards, Mr. Adams supports opening new high-performing public schools. Students from all races, including Bangladeshis, will have opportunities to attend the schools. As a result, the city will be a better place for all people with different nationalities.
“The new schools will be a great equalizer for the minorities who otherwise wouldn’t have access to top-notch public education,” it said.
It stated that other immigrants before them Bangladeshis left their native land to seek better lives in the United States.
According to a report published in April 2021, by the Pew Research Center, approximately 85,000 Bangladeshis reside in the New York metropolitan areas.
However, the actual number is much higher due to the fact that many Bangladeshis are recognized as Asians on the census. Therefore, the exact number natural born Bangladeshis isn’t reflected in the report.
Although some Bangladeshis support Andrew Yang, an Asian American, Mr. Yang has no tangible connection with the community. He hasn’t done anything for the average New Yorker, and most of the Bangladeshis don’t know him.
Another candidate, Cathryn Garcia, has no name recognition at all in the community. Scott Stringer has made some inroads with the community; however, most Bangladeshis find his views otherwise making him lose the needed support from the community.
“Unlike these candidates, Mr. Adams is a friend of the community. He has visited dozens of Bangladeshi events, mosques, even mingled with community leaders, and cultivated friendships. These long-standing relationships will pay dividends when it comes to voting on June 22nd.
“The members of Rise Up New York have spearheaded a grassroots campaign to inform, educate and mobilize Bangladeshi voters. They have started canvassing in Bangladeshi neighborhoods such as Jackson Heights, Jamaica, Ozone Park, and Parkchester that will continue until the primary Election Day.
“This year, several Bangladeshis are running for New York City Council and at least one candidate, Soma Syed, is running for the Queens County Civil Court judge position. This will be a good opportunity for the Bangladeshis not only to elect one of their own but also to tilt the New York City Mayoral election towards Mr. Adams, ” it concluded.
