Political Report | Deshi Tribune New York
J. Molla Sani, a familiar face in New York’s Bangladeshi community and former General Secretary of the Jamaica Bangladesh Friends Society, is preparing to run for New York State Assembly from District 32. He is expected to face a competitive field that includes Nathaniel Hezekiah, Deputy Chief of Staff to U.S. Congressman Gregory Meeks, as well as Latoia LeGrand, Queen Johnson, and Tunisia Morrison.
Assembly District 32 covers parts of Queens, including Hillside, Jamaica Avenue, 137th Avenue, Merrick Boulevard, the Van Wyck Expressway corridor, and South Jamaica. The district is home to an estimated 5,000 Bangladeshi voters and approximately 15,000 South Asian voters, making immigrant communities an influential bloc in the upcoming race.
The seat is currently held by Vivian Cook, who has represented the district for more than two decades. At 81, Cook is retiring, creating an open-seat contest that has drawn significant local attention. Although no candidate has formally filed an official declaration at this stage, Sani has been actively engaging voters and building grassroots support throughout the district.
The Democratic primary is scheduled for June. In the 2022 Democratic primary, Cook secured her party’s nomination with 4,384 votes. Given that District 32 is heavily Democratic, political observers note that the winner of the Democratic primary is widely expected to prevail in the general election.
Community leaders say that if Bangladeshi voters unite behind a single candidate, Sani’s prospects could be significantly strengthened. His supporters argue that his longstanding involvement in community service and local organizing positions him as a strong representative for working families and immigrant residents in the district.
