“Why You Come Here?”: Muhammad Yunus Heckled by Bangladeshi Expats at New York’s JFK Airport

“You are a terrorist”: see what protesters said to Yunus at JFK, and the criticism of his interim government that lies behind the anger

PGurus Newsdesk

October 13, 2026

Muhammad Yunus heckled by Bangladeshi expatriates at New York’s JFK Airport, with some calling him a “terrorist.”

The protesters accused him of undermining democracy and being responsible for deaths during his tenure

Muhammad Yunus, the former chief adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government, was confronted by angry Bangladeshi expatriates at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York on Monday. A video of the incident is circulating widely on social media.

What the video shows

Yunus had flown in from Doha on a Qatar Airways flight and was leaving Terminal 8 at around 3.45 pm, seated in a wheelchair. He was accompanied by Lamiya Morshed, the interim government’s chief coordinator for SDGs and executive director of the Yunus Centre.

In the footage, a group of people approach him and shout slogans. “You are a terrorist” and “Why you come here?” can be heard. The protesters accuse him of killing hundreds of Bangladeshis, undermining democracy and being responsible for the deaths of police personnel. Yunus is seen moving ahead calmly, surrounded by security staff and associates, while the shouting continues. After the tense confrontation, he was wheeled back inside the terminal.

“YOU TERRORIST, WHY DID YOU COME HERE”
Muhammad Yunus has fled Bangladesh and been spotted at JFK airport with the same concubine he has been involved in a relationship for years, while leaving his sick wife at home, now facing peak humiliation and public anger.
Karma. https://t.co/RiR6n4Yeky
— Toofani 🇧🇩 (@Ekattor_71) October 13, 2026

The identities of the expatriates involved, and further details of the incident, could not be immediately confirmed. Some reports describe them as supporters of the Awami League.

Why the anger

Yunus took charge on August 8, 2024, after Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government fell on August 5 amid a mass uprising. His tenure drew criticism over political violence, the alleged targeting of Awami League members and supporters, and human rights concerns such as arbitrary arrests. Resentment also grew among some expatriates after his March 2025 remarks in China about India’s northeastern states.

Since then, a newly elected government led by Tarique Rahman has taken power in Bangladesh. India-Bangladesh relations, however, have yet to fully recover from the tensions that arose during the interim administration.

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