In today's US elections, New York City ballots will feature Bangla, making it one of the four languages available alongside English for voters.

"We are required to service four other languages besides English. They are Chinese, Spanish, Korean and Bengali as the Asian languages," said Micheal J Ryan, executive director, Board of Elections, NYC.

New York City is legally obligated to support language access for diverse communities at certain polling sites.

The inclusion of Bangla on ballots is part of a broader commitment to address language barriers, initiated by a 2013 legal settlement following a lawsuit on language accessibility.

The lawsuit highlighted the need for language support in areas with significant South Asian populations, particularly in Queens, where Bangla was first introduced on ballots.

The city's effort aligned with the 1965 Voting Rights Act, ensuring comprehensive language assistance for minority communities.

With over 200 languages spoken in New York, officials say the move reflects the city's ongoing efforts to promote an inclusive voting process.