AL men throw eggs at Akhter Hossen while harassing NCP, BNP leaders at NY airport; police detain 1

Awami League supporters threw eggs at National Citizen Party (NCP) Member Secretary Akhter Hossen in New York, while he, along with the party's Senior Joint Member Secretary Dr Tasnim Jara, was leaving John F Kennedy International Airport with BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami leaders yesterday (22 September).

A man has been detained by New York police over the incident, New York-based journalist Sanjiban Sarkar told the BBC Bangla. He said the detained person's name is Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury, who is reportedly an activist of the banned Awami Jubo League.

Our Sylhet correspondent reported that Mizanur hails from Kaliganj in Zakiganj upazila and has been living in the US with his family for a long time.

According to witnesses and videos shared on social media, Awami League supporters chanted slogans and harassed the leaders of the three political parties, including BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, until they boarded their vehicles. At the time, some of them hurled eggs at Akhter as he exited the terminal.

Mizanur admitted on Facebook to throwing eggs at Akhtar. Posting a video of the incident, he wrote on Facebook: "I hit terrorist Akhtar."

Claiming to be detained over the incident, Mizanur posted a status on Facebook around 12pm Bangladesh time. "I am speaking from jail, Sheikh Hasina's worker Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury. Joy Bangla," he wrote.

Condemning the incident in a press release issued today (23 September), NCP Diaspora Alliance said both of its leaders were part of the delegation of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, who is currently in the United States on an official visit to attend the annual United Nations General Assembly.

"The incident is not only an expression of political violence but also a glaring example of the government's failure to uphold diplomatic dignity and ensure security during state visits," the statement read.

Meanwhile, NCP in Dhaka has called an emergency press conference to address the incident at 2:30pm at the party's office in Rupayan Trade Center at Banglamotor. NCP Convenor Nahid Islam is set to address the briefing.

Talking to reporters in New York, Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said the foreign ministry and the Bangladesh Consulate in New York will look into the "undesirable incident" and take appropriate measures.

The NCP Diaspora Alliance further questioned the role of Bangladesh's foreign missions abroad. "If participants of a government-delegated visit cannot be guaranteed minimum security, what is the justification for the existence of Bangladeshi consulates and embassies abroad?

"Whose interests are they serving, and why are they failing to take effective action against such offenders?" it said.

The NCP Diaspora Alliance also made three specific demands in a statement:

• The Bangladesh government must lodge a formal complaint directly with the US federal government and New York City authorities.
• The entire foreign service team, including the Bangladesh Consulate General in New York, must be immediately dismissed.
• Maximum security must be ensured for all remaining delegates on the trip.

The alliance also alleged that BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other delegates accompanying CA Yunus were present during the incident and came under pressure from Awami League supporters, though the main target was NCP leaders.

'We are not afraid': NCP leader Akhter vows resilience after harassment by AL supporters in NY

Referring to Akhtar, the statement added, "He was arrested and tortured by the Hasina regime during the July uprising. A man who risked his life for the mass movement is still paying the price today. This is a glaring failure of the interim government."

Concluding its statement, the NCP Diaspora Alliance said, "Such terrorist attacks by Awami League supporters on foreign soil are not only a threat to the safety of expatriate Bangladeshis but also to Bangladesh's dignity and democratic future. We strongly condemn this and demand immediate and effective action."

Speaking to reporters later at a hotel in New York, Akhter said they are a target of the Awami League and declared that the banned political party will not be able to make a comeback amid what he called "anti-fascist unity".

Akhter said Awami League activists are resorting to the same intimidation tactics abroad that they practised in Bangladesh.

"We are not afraid of this. The people of Bangladesh showed the highest level of courage against the Awami League and even sacrificed their lives. They will remain united and the Awami League will not be able to return," he said.

Dr Tasnim Jara, who faced verbal abuse during the incident, condemned the attack and linked it to a broader pattern of hostility towards women in politics.

"This is nothing new. We have seen how women, who were on the frontline during the movement and are now getting involved in politics, were targeted and undermined by the Awami League in Bangladesh. Today, we saw a reflection of that again," she said.

In a joint statement later in the day, Ganosamhati Andolo's Chief Coordinator Zonayed Saki and Executive Coordinator Abul Hasan Rubel strongly condemned and protested the incident of egging.

They said that those responsible for ensuring the security of the chief adviser during his visit to the United States were equally obligated to ensure the safety of his entourage. But this attack proves that they failed to provide security to the accompanying political leaders.

Also, Students Against Discrimination expressed deep concern and outrage over the assault on NCP leaders in New York. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was also harassed by them.

The party strongly condemns and protests the incident. SAD President Rifat Rashid and General Secretary Hasan Inam conveyed this reaction in a joint statement issued today.