Amanda Purcell is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media a section of the Cedar Park Cemetery in the city of Hudson has now been designated for the Muslim community. Hudson Mayor Rick Rector, Public Works Superintendent Robert Perry and members of the Hudson Islamic Center, gathered last week for the unveiling of 135 plots reserved for the Muslim community on the north side of the cemetery along Columbia Turnpike. Cedar Park is maintained by the city Department of Public Works. The conversation about designating a portion of the burial ground for the Muslim community started after the death in early 2019 of Hudson resident and SUNY Polytechnic Institute student Fardush Sultana. Because there was no local option available, Sultana was interred in East Greenbush, nearly 40 miles from Hudson, forcing her family to travel 45 minutes by car to visit her grave. “I am thankful to the city of Hudson; everyone on my community is very happy,” 2nd Ward Alderman Dewan Sarowar said. “But now it is close to home. Now people can visit every day if they miss their family so this is actually the perfect spot. Everyone is very happy we got this.” The Muslim community is one of the fastest growing in Hudson, and the city's Islamic Center currently has more than 500 members. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.