When Sheikh Rahman set foot in the Georgia state senate to take the oath of office on Monday, it was a momentous occasion in many ways.

He became not only the first Muslim member of the Georgia General Assembly but also the first Bangladeshi-American to be elected to any state senate in the United States.

“I am proud of what I have achieved here.” Mr Rahman told The Bangla Tribune.

He took a joint oath with all other members on a Bible in the morning but also had a special individual interfaith swearing-in ceremony with political and religious leaders in the afternoon. Later, he also took oath on the holy Qur’an.

His mother-in-law flew all the way from Dhaka to participate in the ceremony but his mother could not join him as “she is 90-plus and could not travel this far”.

 Rahman comes from an affluent family in Bangladesh but worked as a dish-washer at a restaurant to pay for his college. He took up jobs like roofing and work that meant real hard labour and also managed a pizza-chain. He eventually got a degree in business from the University of Georgia.

His success story resonates with many in the Bangladeshi-American community, one of the fastest growing communities in the United States, and is a proud moment for many. 

“I am so proud to represent millions of people who look like me and speak like me,” said Mr Rahman, adding, “At least now we have a seat at the table.”

Rahman’s place in the senate was practically assured in the early summers last year when he beat his opponent in the Democratic Party Primary--an election where Democrats and Republicans vote to choose their party candidate. Since there was no Republican candidate running against him in the November midterm election, his place had already been secured.

He now represents a district that’s considered the most diverse in Georgia and the third most diverse district in the country, a demographics that could have propelled him to victory. The population is 38 percent white, 27 percent black, 21 percent Hispanic and 11 percent Asian.

While Bangladeshi-Americans have been making inroads into US politics, Rahman’s entry into Georgia senate has been marked special because of the state’s history of slavery and the civil rights movement. In rural Georgia the Confederate flag is still embraced by many white residents as a proud symbol of heritage. And as the New York Times reported—“some still display it as an overt symbol of white supremacy”.

This was probably the main reason why Rahman’s success was widely reported by the US national media.

Rahman says he has high hopes for his native country and his message for the folks back there is: “ Keep the spirit of democracy alive.”