‘You are a terrorist. You have killed people in Bangladesh. Why have you come here?’ 

These were among the accusations hurled at Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus as he arrived at New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport, turning his first overseas trip since stepping down as Bangladesh’s interim government chief into a public confrontation.

A group of Bangladeshi expatriates confronted Yunus at JFK airport on Monday, questioning his tenure and accusing his administration of deaths, mass arrests and undermining democracy.

Bangladesh, meanwhile, has signalled a legal response, with Prime Minister’s Information and Communications Adviser Zahed Ur Rahman saying on Tuesday that Dhaka would take action against those who confronted the former chief adviser.

Videos of the incident circulating on social media showed protesters shouting at Yunus as security personnel escorted him out of the airport in a wheelchair.

Some demanded that he return to Bangladesh, while others levelled accusations over alleged killings and the handling of political unrest during his time in office.

According to reports in Bangladeshi media, Yunus arrived at Terminal 8 on a Qatar Airways flight from Doha.

The confrontation reportedly prompted Yunus and his aide, Lamia Morshed, to move back inside the airport before security personnel escorted him away from the scene.

The protesters alleged that thousands of police personnel had been killed and claimed that around two lakh people had been arrested in Bangladesh.

These allegations were made during the confrontation and have not been independently established by the available account of the incident.

No one involved has been officially identified. While one media outlet described the hecklers as supporters of the Awami League, the party led by ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, their affiliations remain unverified.

Neither Yunus nor his representatives had issued an immediate response to the confrontation or the allegations levelled against him.

Why are Bangladeshi expatriates angry with Muhammad Yunus?

The airport confrontation reflects the continuing political divisions in Bangladesh following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.

Yunus, who headed the interim administration that followed, faced criticism from political opponents over its handling of violence, public disorder and allegations of abuses.

The Awami League accused the interim administration of failing to protect its members and affiliates from attacks.

Critics also questioned the government's response to reports of killings and other violent incidents, arguing that accountability and the restoration of law and order remained major challenges.

Human rights concerns during the interim period extended to reports of attacks on Hindu communities and places of worship, allegations of arbitrary arrests and custodial deaths, and questions about the treatment of political supporters. Rights groups also raised concerns about accountability for alleged abuses.

The accusations against Yunus have also intersected with debates over how the authorities should investigate violence linked to the July-August 2024 uprising.

In January 2026, an ordinance introduced under Yunus's administration protected certain actions by uprising participants and restricted routine criminal investigations by police and other law enforcement agencies into conduct covered by those protections.

Under the framework described in reports, allegations involving killings, including those involving police personnel, were referred to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to assess whether the acts constituted political resistance or criminal conduct.

The measure drew attention to questions over the balance between recognising the uprising and ensuring that allegations of criminal acts were investigated through appropriate legal processes.

The confrontation in New York has now brought those unresolved political tensions into the international spotlight.

However, the accusations shouted at JFK airport remain allegations made by the protesters, rather than established findings of responsibility against Yunus.