Egg Attack on NCP Member Secretary Akhtar in New York

A dramatic incident unfolded at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport when Akhtar Hossain, Member Secretary of the National Citizen’s Party (NCP) and a member of Dr Muhammad Yunus’s interim government delegation, became the target of public outrage.

According to video footage widely circulated on social media, several individuals gathered at the airport late at night and threw eggs at Akhtar Hossain Tasnim Jara while also hurling verbal abuse.

The incident occurred on Monday, 22 September, around 1:00 a.m. local time at Terminal 8 of JFK International Airport.

The Emirates flight carrying Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus and his delegation landed at JFK Airport earlier that night. As the delegation exited the terminal with some delay, they were confronted by Awami League supporters who began chanting slogans against the visiting delegation.

The protest targeted several key figures:

• Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Secretary General of BNP
• Humayun Kabir, Foreign Affairs Adviser to BNP’s Acting Chairman
• Akhtar Hossain, NCP Member Secretary
• Dr Tasnim Jara, Senior Joint Member Secretary of NCP

Protesters, identified as activists from the Awami League and its affiliate organisation, Jubo League, allegedly threw eggs at Akhtar Hossain and verbally abused Dr Tasnim Jara.

Meanwhile, the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing and a group of BNP activists attempted to escort the delegation members safely out of the airport amidst the chaos.

Tensions had already been high in New York. On Sunday night, 21 September, a confrontation broke out between two rival groups at the Drive City Plaza in Jackson Heights, resulting in physical scuffles.

From early Monday morning, leaders and activists of the US branch of the Awami League had gathered at JFK Airport, staging protests against Dr Yunus and his delegation. They carried placards and shouted anti-Yunus slogans, making their opposition to the visit highly visible.

The Chief Adviser’s official entourage for the United Nations visit includes:

Additionally, Mohammad Nakibur Rahman, a Jamaat leader based in the United States, is set to join the delegation from within the country.

Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus is scheduled to deliver his address at the United Nations General Assembly on 26 September. He is expected to return to Bangladesh on 2 October following the conclusion of his official engagements.