Legal action to be taken over harassment of Yunus: Zahed

The government will take legal action over an alleged attempt to harass former interim government Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York, Prime Minister’s Information Adviser Dr Zahed Ur Rahman said on Tuesday.

He made the announcement while responding to questions from journalists at a press conference at the Department of Information conference room at the Secretariat on 13 October.

Zahed described the incident as “Awami terrorism” and said the government would pursue legal action against those involved.

He said Dhaka wanted Sheikh Hasina’s return to ensure justice, not to seek revenge.

“Those who have committed serious criminal offences must face trial for reconciliation to be possible,” he said.

He added that the Awami League, which he accused of committing crimes against humanity, had shown no signs of remorse and was instead attempting to create various forms of instability.

Zahed said Yunus had faced an attempt at harassment over his decision to take responsibility for the state after Hasina fled the country. He also alleged that similar attempts had been made to harass the state minister for primary and mass education.

The information adviser said the government had no scope to initiate reconciliation with a party that openly attempted to incite violence and terrorism in the country, adding that its leader was also involved in such activities.

He said any possibility of reconciliation should have been raised by the Awami League itself. Based on the party’s conduct over the past two years, he saw little prospect of reconciliation, he added.

Rather than apologising or showing remorse, the party was issuing threats and attempting to incite violence, Zahed said.

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He also referred to alleged attempts to harass Yunus, the state minister for primary and mass education, and actress Azmeri Haque Badhan, describing the incidents as “Awami terrorism” rather than the actions of pressure groups.

Legal proceedings had begun over the incidents, and further action would be taken in the future, he said, adding that such acts would not go unchallenged.

A video circulating on social media showed several people approaching Yunus, who was seated in a wheelchair inside the airport, and shouting slogans at him.

The protesters were heard calling him “a terrorist” and asking why he had come there. They also accused him of destroying democracy in Bangladesh and chanted slogans about the role of the country’s police force.

Yunus later moved forward with assistance from an accompanying aide.