Zohran Mamdani speaks Bengali while announcing Broadway free tickets.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani stunned viewers by speaking in Bengali while announcing more than 2,000 free Broadway tickets for the city’s high school students, with the tickets to be distributed through a lottery.The programme, launched in partnership with the Theater Development Fund (TDF), will give students the opportunity to attend one of seven Broadway shows without paying for a ticket.Mamdani said young New Yorkers should be able to experience the city’s theatre and cultural scene regardless of their financial circumstances.He also announced the initiative in English in an X post, saying:“People come to New York City from all over the world to experience Broadway. The kids who grow up here should be able to do the same.”Students can enter the free lottery to take part in the programme.The mayor’s use of Bengali during the announcement also drew attention online, with several users praising his language skills and the diversity of the initiative.One user wrote:“This is golden. Keep going !!! Leading by example, and showing the diversity of NYC.”Another commented:‘I’m crying, your Bangla is better than mine.”A third user asked:“How many languages does he speak? That’s insane. Gosh, I love him.”