Abu Jakir :
The violent assault on senior leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the National Citizen Party (NCP) at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport has ignited sharp criticism of Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry and its diplomatic missions in the United States, with opposition leaders denouncing what they described as a “systemic failure” to protect prominent figures abroad.
The incident occurred Monday as a delegation led by Chief Adviser Prof. Muhammad Yunus arrived in New York to attend the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Among those targeted were NCP member secretary Akhtar Hossain, senior joint member secretary Tasnim Jara, and BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Witnesses and video footage circulating widely on social media show activists affiliated with the Awami League hurling eggs, chanting slogans, and verbally abusing the leaders.
Akhtar Hossain was physically harassed before eggs were thrown directly at him.
Eyewitnesses identified local Awami League leader Mizanur Rahman as one of the individuals seen hurling eggs during the attack.
The incident quickly drew a sharp response from Mirza Fakhrul himself, who posted a statement on his verified Facebook page, condemning the assault.
“What happened at New York airport once again proves that the Awami League feels no remorse for its past misdeeds,” he wrote, accusing the party of exporting its culture of violence abroad.
The attack has been described by opposition figures as part of a broader pattern of orchestrated intimidation.
Information Adviser Mahfuz Alam, during recent visits to Washington D.C. and London, had also faced egg-throwing incidents by Awami League loyalists.
In Dhaka, NCP convener Nahid Islam said Tuesday that the ruling party of the past decade had “turned July Uprising leaders into targets both at home and abroad,” calling the New York incident a “continuation of fascist tactics.”
“The government and the foreign ministry have utterly failed to ensure protection,” Nahid said at an emergency press conference at the party’s Banglamotor headquarters.
“We have seen in Bangladesh how perpetrators of July killings and attacks are granted bail and move freely.
Now the same culture of impunity has reached foreign soil. Unless those within the administration who shield these criminals are removed and punished, such attacks will continue.”
The NCP demanded the immediate resignation of Bangladesh’s consul general in New York, the arrest of those responsible for the assault, and disciplinary action against officials accused of negligence.
The party also reiterated its call for transparency in the cases filed against the perpetrators of the July Uprising and for Awami League as an organization to face trial for what it termed “terrorist activities.”
Analysts, however, say the incident also exposes deeper weaknesses in the country’s diplomatic security apparatus.
During an event as large as the UN General Assembly, host nations provide protection only to heads of state or government and select ministers.
Protection of lower-level delegation members typically falls on either the sending state or private security details.
“This is less about protocol and more about political failure,” one senior observer noted.
“BNP and NCP leaders were astonishingly unprotected, while Jamaat-e-Islami figures moved safely, shielded by their own activist networks. The absence of mobilized support for Mirza Fakhrul and other BNP leaders is baffling.”
Critics argue that the unchecked violence stems from a sense of impunity among Awami League activists abroad.
Throwing eggs at vehicles and individuals, though often trivialized, constitutes assault under U.S. and British law. Yet, few perpetrators have faced meaningful legal consequences.
Opposition leaders have also been faulted for failing to consistently press charges, reinforcing what many describe as a “permissive environment” for political thuggery.
Beyond the immediate security failures, the opposition warned that such spectacles damage Bangladesh’s global image.
“When political thugs export their street-level hooliganism to cities like New York and London, they humiliate not just their rivals, but the nation itself,” Nahid Islam said.
Meanwhile, the interim government condemned the assault on NCP leader Akhter Hossain at New York’s JFK Airport, describing it as a “reprehensible act” and “a painful reminder of the toxic political culture that thrived under Hasina’s regime.”
In a statement published Tuesday evening on the Chief Adviser’s official Facebook page, the government expressed deep regret that BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and NCP leaders Akhter Hossain and Tasnim Jara were subjected to a politically motivated attack, allegedly carried out by affiliates of the ousted Awami League.
The statement said precautionary measures had been coordinated ahead of the UNGA visit, but a last-minute visa complication forced the delegation to reroute through an alternative exit, exposing them to risk.
Despite a formal request for VVIP-level facilitation, U.S. authorities denied the arrangement. Following the incident, Bangladesh’s mission in New York engaged with local police, who have since apprehended one suspect and launched an investigation.
