Hamtramck’s election season has now begun

City Council candidate Mahfuzur Rahman beats the deadline on Tuesday to file for the primary election ballot. In total, 15 candidates are seeking one of three seats on council.

By Charles Sercombe
It’s official: Hamtramck Mayor Amer Ghalib is not seeking another term.
Instead, he’s rolling the dice in hopes that the U.S Senate will confirm him as President Trump’s appointee as ambassador to Kuwait.
Ghalib, who is in his first term, is endorsing his campaign manager, Adam Alharbi, to be Hamtramck’s next mayor.
“It’s my turn now to kindly ask you to support my friend, classmate, and my campaign manager, Adam Alharbi, to be the next elected mayor for the City of Hamtramck,” Ghalib said on his Facebook page.
And in a surprise move, Councilmember Khalil Refai has decided to drop out of the mayoral race. He is also not seeking re-election to city council.
“The decision comes after deep consideration, putting the interests of the city and its people above all consideration, believing that the next phase requires joint efforts and support for one another for a better future for all,” Refai said on his Facebook page.

He also seemed to add his endorsement for Alharbi, saying:

“I sincerely wish my able colleague, engineer Adam Alharbi, success; may God enable him to serve our city and society with all honesty and capability.”
The mayoral field is still crowded, with Councilmember Muhith Mahmood, who is in his first term on city council, has decided to take a run for mayor, and he is joined by three newcomers.
So far, it appears that Alharbi has the support of many in the community, including the Yemeni American Political Action Committee (YAPAC).
In a statement, the organization said: “We firmly believe that his leadership will play a crucial role in strengthening political representation, achieving sustainable development, and building bridges of trust among the city’s diverse communities.”

Other mayoral candidates, besides Mahmood, include: Khandaker Showkat Hossain, Mahabub Karim and Mister Bangladesh.

Yes, you read that correctly, it’s Mister Bangladesh, who legally changed his first name.

As you would expect, his name has a number of folks puzzled and amused.

“There’s no way Mister Bangladesh is real, right?” asked Cody Lawn on the Facebook page “I love Hamtramck and actually live here.”

Lawn, who some might say has a curious name himself, previously ran for city council.

In the council race, there are some familiar faces, plus a number of new ones, all seeking one of three opening seats on council. Councilmember Abu Musa is the only incumbent seeking re-election.
Also on the ballot are two former councilmembers have thrown their hat into the ring: Joe Strzalka, who recently retired from the U.S. State Department, and former Councilmember Nayeem Choudhury.
Former Chairman of the Human Relations Commission, Russ Gordon, is also in the mix.
New council candidates include: Diane Elizabeth Frkan, Razaul Karim Choudhury, Khalid Al Qsaimi, Motahar Abdo Fadhel, Yousuf Saed, Mohammed Aimon Islam, Arif Arman Jisan, Abdulmalik Yahya Kassim, Luqman Mohamed Saleh, Najib Muthana, and Mahfuzur Rahman.
The next election is the August Primary Election, in which the mayoral race will be whittled down to two candidates, and the council race will be reduced to six candidates.
They will then face off in the November General Election where, obviously, one candidate will become Hamtramck’s next mayor, and three candidates will be seated on council.
All of the candidates face background checks to make sure they are, indeed, residents, and don’t owe the city or any other government agency money, among other requirements, restrictions that are spelled out in the city charter.
Candidates sign a document saying they are residents and don’t owe the government money, under the threat of perjury if found they falsified that information. Perjury is a felony charge.
The city has hired a private investigator to perform the background checks.
So far, three would-be candidates have been disqualified, but the city says it will not pursue perjury charges.
Posted April 25, 2025