Bangladesh’s former interim government chief adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, was reportedly confronted by several people who shouted slogans and made derogatory remarks at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York. A video of the incident has circulated on social media, drawing attention to the allegations made against the Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
Yunus arrived in New York from Doha on a Qatar Airways flight on Monday, 12 October, local time. According to reports, the incident occurred as he was being taken out of Terminal 8 in a wheelchair. Several Bangladeshi expatriates were said to have approached him and voiced their objections to his role in Bangladesh.
Footage shared on social media captures several people directing slogans at Yunus, including “You are a terrorist”, “You killed Bangladeshis”, “Go back” and “You destroy democracy”. One individual also accused him of being responsible for the deaths of thousands of police officers.
In the video, the individual repeatedly questions why Yunus has travelled to the United States, alleging that he bears responsibility for killings in Bangladesh. The protester also accuses him of undermining democracy and overseeing the arrest of large numbers of people.
However, the allegations made during the confrontation have not been independently verified. The footage provides evidence of the slogans and accusations directed at Yunus, but it does not establish whether the claims made by those involved are accurate.
At one point, security personnel moved Yunus away from the area. According to accounts from people who witnessed the incident, members of his accompanying party also helped take him to a safer location. The available information does not establish whether anyone was injured or whether the incident resulted in any further security measures at the airport.
The identities of the individuals involved in the protest have not been confirmed. It is also unclear what specifically prompted them to confront Yunus, whether the demonstration had been organised in advance, or whether the participants were acting independently.
No immediate statement was available from Yunus or his representatives regarding the incident. Details about any subsequent response from airport authorities or law enforcement agencies were also not immediately available.
The confrontation comes against the backdrop of continuing political debate surrounding Bangladesh’s recent period of interim administration. Yunus, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his work on microcredit and social business through Grameen Bank, became head of Bangladesh’s interim government in August 2024 following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government. His tenure subsequently became a subject of political debate, with supporters and critics expressing sharply differing views about the administration’s decisions and performance.
The airport incident illustrates how political divisions surrounding Bangladesh can extend beyond the country’s borders, with expatriate communities sometimes expressing their views during public appearances by prominent political figures. Nevertheless, the specific motivations behind this protest remain unconfirmed.
Further information, including statements from those involved and any official account of the incident, would be needed to establish the full circumstances surrounding the confrontation. Until then, the allegations circulated in the video should be treated as claims made by the protesters rather than verified findings.