It was claimed Muhammad Yunus, the chief advisor of Bangladesh's interim government, was bringing two top leaders from BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, along with two leaders from NCP, as human shields to handle Awami League protests during his America visit. However, while Yunus himself was whisked away in a car wrapped in a security blanket after disembarking from the plane, the leaders of his supporting parties faced the brunt of Awami League's aggressive demonstrations. No one from BNP was seen coming to the aid of Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir to save him from the protesters.
The demonstrators claimed they didn't lay hands on Mirza Saheb or on NCP leader Tasnim Zara, as she's a woman. One egg after another landed on NCP leader Akhtar Hossain's back, completely drenching his jacket. This was accompanied by a barrage of unspeakable insults. As security personnel tried to whisk Yunus away in the car, three protesters lay down on the road. The car halted momentarily.
Recently, Awami League protesters harassed Information Advisor Mahfuz Alam and his entourage in Washington and London. Following this, when Yunus's New York itinerary was announced to attend the UN General Assembly, the American chapter of Awami League adopted the 'Where Yunus is, there is resistance' program.
They declared their intention to stage continuous protests not only at the airport but also in front of the hotel where Yunus and his entourage would be staying.
Subsequently, Yunus chose BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul, a leader close to Tarique Rahman, Jamaat-e-Islami's Deputy Chief Mohammad Taher, and NCP's Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain and leader Tasmin Zara as his travel companions. Netizens began to sarcastically comment that Yunus was using the leaders of supporting parties as bodyguards to protect himself from protesters. Images of them in security guard attire went viral.
It was later said that in reality, it was the protectors who were ignominiously harassed.
At 3 PM local time, after Yunus's plane arrived, American security personnel escorted only the chief advisor to the car under guard. The rest walked out of the terminal. A swarm of protesters was waiting outside. They advanced, leaping forward while chanting 'Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu', and surrounded the Bangladeshi leaders.
A torrent of abusive language followed. The leaders were addressed as 'stooges of the occupiers' and 'adopted sons of the collaborators'. Even the police, overwhelmed, failed to disperse the crowd. While a few Jamaat activists managed to whisk their leader Mohammad Taher away into a car, they didn't attempt to prevent the harassment of others.
Instructions like 'Let go of Mirza Saheb, he's an elderly man' and 'Don't say anything to this lady, thrash the rest' could be heard.
At that moment, eggs started hitting the back of NCP's Akhtar, who was walking behind everyone with a suitcase. A Jamaat worker came to shield him. Another was seen retaliating to Awami League workers' abuses, calling them 'autocrats, genocidal maniacs, barbarians'. At this time, as the car carrying Yunus was leaving, three activists lay down in front of it. The car was stuck. Police removed them and the car left. Protesters had also gathered in front of the hotel where Yunus was to stay, chanting slogans. Police escorted him inside through barricades. Upon seeing Yunus, the intensity of slogans and abuses increased.
After enduring harassment for a long time, BNP's local leader and central committee member Giyas Ahmed arrived with a few workers, and took the Secretary General and two other party leaders in a car to the hotel.
