HYATTSVILLE WIRE: College Park’s Fazlul Kabir is the first Muslim mayor elected anywhere in Maryland.
A member of the City Council, Kabir won a special election over the weekend to fill out the term of former Mayor Patrick Wojahn, who stepped down in March prior to being charged with possessing and distributing child pornography.
He handily defeated three other candidates, Council Member Kate Kennedy, Mayor Pro Tem Denise Mitchell, and Bryan Haddad, campaigning on issues like helping small businesses and improving police relations.
Kabir grew up in Bangladesh and lived in the United Kingdom and Canada before moving to College Park 20 years ago, where he previously worked as an adjunct professor teaching cybersecurity at the University of Maryland.
He’s served on the city council for the last 12 years, where he’s led efforts like creating the Hollywood Farmers Market.
He will be sworn in on Tuesday and serve until November’s regularly scheduled elections.
Kabir is the latest milestone for the Route 1 corridor, where voters have elected some of the state’s first African-American, Latina, Asian and LGBTQ mayors.
