Nahid Islam, Chief Whip of the Opposition in the National Parliament and convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP), has strongly condemned and protested the incident in which Professor Muhammad Yunus, former chief adviser of the interim government, was harassed at a US airport.
He said the attempt to harass Professor Yunus at John F Kennedy International Airport in the United States has once again exposed the brutal, violent, and inhuman nature of Awami League’s (whose activities are banned) terror-dependent politics.
Nahid Islam made these remarks in a statement sent to the media today, Tuesday.
A video of the incident, in which Professor Yunus was harassed as he left New York’s airport in a wheelchair last Monday, has circulated on social media. The video shows several people approaching Professor Yunus and shouting slogans at him in loud voices.
At the time, the protesters were shouting various accusatory and insulting remarks directed at him, including “Why did you come here?” and “Go back.” Several expatriate supporters of Awami League, whose activities are banned, have been accused of harassing him.
Nahid Islam described the incident as an “attempt by fascist terrorists” and said that even two years after being decisively rejected by the people of Bangladesh, there has been not the slightest change in the character of the Awami League’s terrorist forces. There is not even the slightest sign of remorse among them for their past misdeeds.
“This terrorist network, active both at home and abroad, must be completely thwarted. The trials of those involved in enforced disappearances and killings during the fascist era, including the July massacre, must be completed and the verdicts swiftly implemented. In addition, the trial of the Awami League as a political party must begin immediately on charges of genocide and terrorism,” he said.
In the statement, NCP convener Nahid Islam further said that, at a critical juncture in the nation’s history, members of the interim government, including Professor Yunus, had taken the helm of the country and led efforts to restore democracy and rebuild an economy reduced to ruins.
He said the government must take effective measures to ensure the security of all of them.
Meanwhile, Zahed Ur Rahman, the Prime Minister’s adviser on information and broadcasting, said legal action would be taken over the harassment of Professor Muhammad Yunus in the United States.
Responding to a journalist’s question at the government’s regular press briefing at the Secretariat today, Tuesday, where the government’s activities were discussed, he said that the same legal measures taken after actress Azmeri Haque Badhon was harassed in Italy would also be pursued in this case.