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Bangladeshi-origin candidates enter Sweden election race
Md Mahmodul Haque, Sweden
Published: 06 Sep 2026, 11:43 AM
Photo: Daily Sun
With Sweden’s general election just days away, Bangladeshi-origin candidates are making their presence increasingly visible across the country’s political landscape, contesting seats at national, regional and municipal levels.
Sweden will hold its general election on September 13, with voting for the Riksdag (national parliament) taking place alongside elections to the regional councils (regionfullmäktige) and municipal councils (kommunfullmäktige). However, advance voting began on August 26. During this period, voters can cast their ballots at designated advance-voting centres in cities across Sweden.
The Bangladeshi-origin candidates are running under different political parties and on different platforms. Their campaign priorities range from migration policy and social justice to healthcare, education, public safety, employment, housing and local development.
While some are seeking seats in the Riksdag as well as municipal councils, others are contesting regional or local elections.
Riksdag and municipal candidates
Leo Ahmed
Among the Bangladeshi-origin candidates contesting at the national level is Leo Ahmed, who is running for the Left Party (Vänsterpartiet).
He is ranked No. 34 on the party’s Riksdag ballot and is also No. 1 on the party’s ballot for Sigtuna Municipality.
Leo Ahmed has been active in Swedish immigration policy and social issues for nearly two decades. A major focus of his campaign is the impact of migration policy on families, children and young people, particularly those who have grown up in Sweden but face the risk of deportation.
Speaking to the Daily Sun, Leo Ahmed said immigration policy should not be viewed merely as a political issue because it directly affects families and the future of children and young people.
“The election is an opportunity to influence the kind of society we want to build and the future our children will have,” he said.
He also urged voters to make their decisions based on verified information and their conscience, saying he wants to contribute to a more humane, fair and inclusive Sweden.
Farzana Khan
Farzana Khan is contesting both the Riksdag and municipal elections from Salem.
Describing Salem as her home and the place where her political responsibility developed, Khan is campaigning on issues including safety, integration, employment, language, law and social cohesion.
With more than 25 years of social-service experience, she says she wants to be a stronger voice for Salem and Stockholm County.
Speaking to the Daily Sun, Farzana Khan said a strong society requires both responsibility and opportunity.
She has also highlighted the importance of language in integration, arguing that people should have the opportunity to use their skills, work and contribute to society while respecting the law.
Her campaign also focuses on supporting victims of crime and preventing violence in close relationships.
Mohammad Jashim Uddin
From Uppsala, Mohammad Jashim Uddin is contesting both the Riksdag and municipal council elections.
His campaign has focused in part on encouraging voters to participate in the election and make use of the opportunity to vote in advance rather than waiting until election day.
Speaking to the Daily Sun, Jashim urged voters to plan their voting early and stressed the importance of participating in the democratic process.
He has also informed voters about receiving voting information digitally through Kivra or by post and encouraged them to make sure they are prepared to cast their ballots.
Regional council candidates
A number of Bangladeshi-origin candidates are also contesting seats in regional councils, particularly in Stockholm.
Muhibul Ezdani Khan
Muhibul Ezdani Khan is contesting the Stockholm Regional Council (Regionfullmäktige) election for the Left Party (Vänsterpartiet).
His electoral areas include Bromma-Kungsholmen, 6 yttre väst, and Nordväst och Nordost.
Khan has a long record of political and civic engagement in Sweden. He previously contested the Riksdag elections in 2010 and 2022 and served as a regional council member in 2006 and 2014.
During his working life, he also served for many years as the elected Vice President of the Swedish Post trade union’s Stockholm South branch.
He currently serves as an elected nämndeman (lay judge) at Svea Hovrätt, Sweden’s Court of Appeal. He has been serving as a lay judge at Svea Hovrätt for around 20 years.
In his campaign, Khan has highlighted workers’ rights, fair distribution of social resources and equal dignity for all members of society. He has also emphasised the Left Party’s positions on feminist politics and opposition to racism and discrimination.
Speaking to the Daily Sun, Muhibul Ezdani Khan said he was grateful for the confidence and support he had received from his party and its members.
“The Left Party stands for the rights of working people, a fair distribution of society’s resources and a society where all people have equal dignity and value,” he said.
He called on voters to support the party to strengthen its representation at the municipal, regional and national levels.
Dipak Kundu is contesting the Stockholm Regional Council election for the Moderate Party (Moderaterna). He is listed at No. 19 on the ballot.
His campaign focuses on work, responsibility, public safety and healthcare.
Kundu argues that people who work, educate themselves and take responsibility should be able to keep more of their income, saying that hard work should be rewarded rather than heavily taxed.
Speaking to the Daily Sun, Dipak Kundu said public safety must remain a priority and called for “zero tolerance” towards gang crime.
“The safety of law-abiding citizens must always come first,” he said.
He is also campaigning for shorter healthcare waiting times and safer communities, with a regional system where work and responsibility are properly rewarded.
Harun Choudhury
Harun Choudhury, who has long been involved in regional and local politics, is contesting this year’s election for both Järfälla Municipality and Region Stockholm.
Choudhury says he has been actively involved in Swedish politics for more than 35 years. During his political career, he has served as a supplementary member of the Riksdag, a regional councillor in Stockholm and a municipal councillor in Järfälla on several occasions.
Beyond winning or losing the election, he considers the active participation of people of Bangladeshi origin in mainstream Swedish politics important. According to him, those who live in Swedish society should also take part in the decision-making processes that shape that society.
He views the growing participation of Bangladeshi-origin men and women from the younger generation, representing different political parties, as a positive development. Despite differences in political parties and ideologies, he believes Bangladeshi-origin candidates share a common interest in the development of Swedish society and the future of the next generation.
Municipal council candidates
Bangladeshi-origin candidates are also seeking representation in several municipal councils, where their campaigns are largely focused on issues affecting residents’ everyday lives.
Tawhid Amanullah
Architect Tawhid Amanullah is contesting the Sundbyberg Municipal Council (kommunfullmäktige) election for the Left Party (Vänsterpartiet).
His campaign highlights welfare, healthcare, education, housing, social security, fair wages and employment. Climate transition, equality, solidarity, democracy and human rights are also among his priorities.
Amanullah says people’s needs should be prioritised over private profit.
Speaking to the Daily Sun, Tawhid Amanullah said his political vision is centred on building a fairer and stronger Sweden where welfare and public services work for ordinary people.
His campaign slogan, “På din sida” (“On your side”), reflects his emphasis on standing with residents and prioritising their needs.
Aftab Jaigirdar
Aftab Jaigirdar, a mother-tongue teacher, is contesting the Botkyrka Municipal Council election for the Social Democrats at No. 33 on the ballot.
Education is the central issue of his campaign.
Speaking to the Daily Sun, Jaigirdar said every student should have better opportunities and argued that more teachers and smaller classes are needed to improve the quality of education.
He is asking voters to give him a personal vote by marking No. 33 alongside the Social Democratic ballot.
Shimul Sanaullah
Shimul Sanaullah is contesting the Sollentuna Municipal Council election for the Moderate Party (Moderaterna) at No. 23.
His campaign focuses on everyday local issues, including giving children a strong start in school, providing safe and high-quality elderly care, creating better conditions for businesses and jobs, and strengthening the local community.
He has also highlighted support for sports, associations and the protection of natural areas.
Speaking to the Daily Sun, Shimul Sanaullah said local politics should focus on what matters most to residents.
He believes responsibility, opportunity and sensible priorities should guide municipal decision-making, while people who make an effort should be able to see the benefits of their work.
Md Arif Hossain Majumder
Md Arif Hossain Majumder is contesting the Täby Municipal Council election for the Moderate Party (Moderaterna) as candidate No. 37.
A resident of Täby and a parent of two children attending school in the municipality, Majumder is campaigning on issues including education, healthcare, social services, elderly care, safety and local business development.
With more than 14 years of experience in healthcare and social services, particularly in LSS and social psychiatry, he says his goal is to help ensure that residents feel safe, included and able to live as independently and meaningfully as possible.
He wants Täby to continue investing in preschool, primary school and upper secondary education through smaller groups, strong student health services, early interventions and additional support for children who need it most.
Majumder is also an entrepreneur and highlights the importance of businesses in creating jobs, supporting growth and financing public welfare.
His campaign message is that Täby should function well throughout life—from the first day of preschool to the time when residents need support and care as older people.
A politically diverse group
The candidates represent a politically diverse section of Sweden’s Bangladeshi-origin population.
Those contesting under the Left Party are focusing heavily on social equality, workers’ rights, welfare, human rights and migration-related issues. Social Democratic candidates are highlighting healthcare, education and public services, while Moderate candidates are placing greater emphasis on public safety, work incentives, local development and individual responsibility.
Their political priorities therefore extend beyond the Bangladeshi or immigrant community. Most are campaigning on issues affecting the wider population in their respective constituencies.
For many in Sweden’s Bangladeshi community, the growing presence of people of Bangladeshi origin in mainstream politics is also seen as a sign of deeper participation in Swedish society.
The candidates are seeking support not only from Bangladeshi-origin voters but from residents across their respective constituencies.
Immigrant voters in focus
Alongside the growing participation of immigrant-origin candidates, the role of immigrant voters is also drawing attention ahead of the election.
Healthcare, education, housing, employment, public safety and migration policy are among the issues likely to shape voters’ choices.
The September 13 election will determine the political direction of Sweden at national, regional and municipal levels for the next four years.
For Sweden’s Bangladeshi community, the result will therefore be significant not only in terms of which candidates are elected, but also in showing how far people of Bangladeshi origin have progressed from being voters to becoming political candidates and potential representatives in Swedish democracy.
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