‘Go back, step down’: Bangladeshi nationals protest against Muhammad Yunus in US over attacks on Hindus

Muhammad Yunus took charge as the head of Bangladesh's interim government on August 8 after Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country.

A large group of Bangladeshi nationals in the United States staged a protest against Muhammad Yunus, who is leading Bangladesh's interim government, over the alleged attacks on minorities in the country on Tuesday. The protests took place outside a hotel in New York where Muhammad Yunus is staying for attending the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session.

Bangladeshi nationals raise slogans during the protest against the head of Bangladesh's interim government, Mohammad Yunus, over attacks on minorities in their country, outside a hotel in New York where he was staying for attending the 79th UNGA session, on Monday. (ANI)

Videos doing rounds on social media show the protesters chanting slogans such as “go back” and “step down”. The demonstrators also held posters saying: “Sheikh Hasina our Prime Minister”.

According to one of the protesters, Yunus came to power with “dirty politics”.

“Muhammad Yunus took the power unconstitutionally, illegally. He captured power with dirty politics, and a lot of people have been killed. So far, our elected PM, Sheikh Hasina, has not resigned. We request UN humbly that he did not represent Bangladeshi people here,” the protester told news agency ANI.

Another protester said: “I am here to protest the illegal, unelected person representing 117 million people of Bangladesh...He is not elected, he has been appointed by students. He doesn't care about minorities or anybody...He has illegally occupied the country.”

Yunus took charge as the head of Bangladesh's interim government on August 8 after Hasina resigned and fled the country following widespread protests against her Awami League-led government over a controversial job quota system. Over 200 people were killed in the incidents of violence that erupted across the country amid the political crisis.

Shortly after Hasina's downfall, some protesters vandalised temples belonging to the minorities and carried out loot and arson attacks in the country.

Muhammad Yunus in US

On Tuesday, Yunus attended a high-level meeting at an event on the sidelines of the 79th UNGA in New York. During the meeting, he stressed the urgent need for the repatriation of Rohingyas in Bangladesh, saying that the significant challenges the country has been facing are due to the presence of over 1.2 million displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar.

“Despite hosting the Rohingyas with great empathy, a densely populated Bangladesh has been incurring so much in terms of social-economic-environmental costs. These culminate in a series of traditional and non-traditional security risks for us. Much of our own development gains are at stake. Clearly, Bangladesh has reached its limits. Therefore, as much as Bangladesh engages in humanitarian aspects or ensuring justice, repatriation of the Rohingyas remains the only sustainable solution to the protracted crisis,” he said.

The head of Bangladesh's interim government also met US President Joe Biden. The two leaders affirmed the "close partnership" between the United States and Bangladesh, which is rooted in shared democratic values and strong people-to-people ties, the White House said in a statement. Biden also welcomed further engagement between the two governments and offered continued US support as Bangladesh implements its new reform agenda.

On Monday, Yunus met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and discussed a range of issues related to mutual interests between Bangladesh and India.

He is set to address the general debate of the UNGA on Friday, September 27.

(With inputs from agencies)