Paterson's Bangladeshi-American candidate makes mayoral history as Muslim community marks Eid in solidarity with Gaza
Paterson, New Jersey — home to one of the largest South Asian and Muslim diaspora populations in the United States — is at a moment of political and cultural intensity. A Bangladeshi-American candidate is mounting a historic bid for the city's highest office, while the community marked Eid al-Fitr with both celebration and profound grief over the continuing conflict in Gaza. William Paterson University, meanwhile, strengthened its ties with the subcontinent through a new academic partnership with a leading Indian institution.
William Paterson University Signs Academic Partnership with Indian University
William Paterson University in Wayne, New Jersey, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a prominent university in India, formalizing a framework for student exchange and joint research collaboration between the two institutions. The agreement was reached following high-level meetings between representatives of both universities, with William Paterson's Vice President of Enrollment Management George Kacenga traveling to India to meet with IP University's Vice Chancellor and senior academic officials. The partnership aims to create structured pathways for students from both countries to study abroad and for faculty members to engage in collaborative research projects of mutual academic interest. For the South Asian diaspora community in Paterson and surrounding northern New Jersey, the MOU represents a meaningful bridge between American higher education and the institutions of the Indian subcontinent. Paterson has long served as a hub for South Asian immigrants, particularly from Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan, and initiatives that strengthen academic ties with the subcontinent matter deeply to families whose roots reach across both nations. The agreement is expected to open enrollment opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students on both sides, with joint research programs anticipated to develop over the coming academic terms. William Paterson University's significant South Asian student body and faculty reflect the demographics of northern New Jersey and make this kind of bilateral partnership especially relevant to the community. [1]
Bangladeshi-American Candidate Makes Historic Paterson Mayor Bid
Mohammed Akhtaruzzaman, a Bangladeshi-American community figure, announced his campaign for mayor of Paterson, New Jersey, in a bid that the Bergen Record described as history-making for the city and the state. The race carries deep significance because no Bangladeshi-American has previously mounted a serious mayoral campaign in Paterson, which is one of the largest cities in New Jersey and home to one of the most concentrated South Asian diaspora communities in the northeastern United States. Paterson's Bangladeshi population has grown substantially over the past two decades, making the city one of the most prominent hubs of Bangladeshi-American civic life in the country, with dense residential neighborhoods, mosques, restaurants, and cultural organizations built by this immigrant community. Akhtaruzzaman's candidacy marks a turning point in the political visibility of a community that has historically been underrepresented in elected office relative to its population size. Running for the highest municipal office in a major New Jersey city, he represents a new generation of South Asian and Bangladeshi-American political leaders pushing for representation at the local government level. His campaign is expected to mobilize Bangladeshi and broader South Asian voters across Paterson and Passaic County, transforming a long-standing cultural and economic presence into formal political power and civic leadership for the community. [3]
Paterson Muslims Mark Eid With 'No Eid While Gaza Has No Eid' Solidarity Protest
In Paterson, New Jersey, anti-war protesters marked the holiday of Eid al-Fitr with a powerful and sobering message: 'No Eid while Gaza has no Eid.' ABC7 New York reported that Paterson — home to one of the largest Palestinian communities in the United States — saw residents use the occasion of the Muslim holiday to call attention to the suffering of civilians in Gaza amid the ongoing conflict. Protesters gathered and placed rocks, described as a hard and jagged symbol of Palestinian resistance, in a flag-shaped memorial honoring the thousands of Palestinians killed in the war. Children joined adults in telling the stories of victims in Gaza, transforming what is normally a day of joyful celebration into a solemn act of collective solidarity. The demonstration reflected the deep bonds between Paterson's Muslim community, which includes large numbers of South Asian Muslims from Bangladesh and Pakistan, and Palestinians abroad, even as the broader regional conflict continued to escalate. The protest took place as international pressure on Israel mounted, with reports that more aid trucks had entered Gaza on that day than any previous day since October 7, when Hamas launched the attack that killed more than 1,100 Israeli citizens. Despite international pressure, Israel indicated its military campaign would continue. The Eid protest in Paterson became a powerful symbol of diaspora anguish and community solidarity across ethnic and national lines. [4]
Paterson's Eid al-Fitr Celebrations Marked by Joy and Grief Over Gaza
CBS News documented the Eid al-Fitr celebrations in Paterson, New Jersey, capturing how the joyous Muslim holiday was observed by the city's large South Asian and Arab diaspora community even as the war in Gaza weighed heavily on the hearts of participants. Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, and Paterson — with its dense concentration of Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Palestinian residents — has long hosted some of the most vibrant Eid observances in the northeastern United States. For this particular Eid, however, the atmosphere was notably tinged with grief and a spirit of solidarity. Community members expressed that they could not fully celebrate while watching civilians in Gaza endure the devastating hardship of prolonged conflict. Paterson's Muslim community is ethnically diverse, drawing from South Asian, Arab, and African immigrant backgrounds, and the shared faith of Islam knits these populations together in moments of both celebration and crisis, giving the city's annual Eid observances a uniquely multiethnic character. The Eid al-Fitr celebrations in Paterson illustrate how diaspora communities remain profoundly connected to global events affecting their co-religionists and compatriots abroad, even while building rooted lives in America. The CBS News coverage highlighted Paterson as a microcosm of how Muslim-American communities nationwide grappled with honoring beloved religious traditions while simultaneously speaking out against war and civilian suffering. [5]
Sources: [1] Insider NJ · [3] Bergen Record · [4] ABC7 New York · [5] CBS News