Staff Reporter :
The interim government has vowed to take appropriate action following a politically motivated assault on its delegation at the airport in New York recently.
The attack targeted BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and NCP leaders Akhter Hossen and Tasnim Jara, and is alleged to have been carried out by affiliates and supporters of the ousted autocrat Sheikh Hasina.
“We, the advisers and political leaders, sat together and had a long discussion,” Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain said Saturday evening (US time), describing deliberations on the steps to be taken and how they would be implemented.
Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul, Industries Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan, and Energy Adviser Fouzul Kabir Khan are among the advisers visiting New York with the delegation.
The interim government expressed deep regret over Monday’s incident and emphasised its unwavering commitment to upholding democratic principles and the rule of law, both at home and internationally.
“Acts of political violence and intimidation – whether within Bangladesh or beyond its borders – will not be tolerated and will be met with appropriate legal and diplomatic responses,” the statement said.
In response to the incident, security measures for Chief Adviser Prof. Muhammad Yunus and all members of the official delegation have been significantly reinforced.
The government described the assault as a “stark and painful reminder” of the toxic and violent political culture that flourished under Hasina’s regime, a legacy the interim government is determined to dismantle in pursuit of a peaceful, democratic, and inclusive Bangladesh.
Prior to the delegation’s visit, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had coordinated a series of precautionary security measures.
Upon arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport, the delegation was initially directed through a designated VVIP gate and boarded into a specially secured transportation unit.
However, due to unexpected last-minute visa-related complications, the delegation was forced to reroute and proceed through an alternative exit.
Despite formal requests from the highest levels of the interim government for continued VVIP access and security facilitation, airport authorities denied the request, inadvertently exposing the delegation to risk.
Immediately after the incident, the Bangladesh Mission in New York engaged with the New York Police Department to ensure a swift and lawful response.
One individual has already been apprehended, and a formal investigation into the matter is underway.
The interim government emphasised that it remains in close and continuous coordination with US federal and local law enforcement agencies to ensure the safety and dignity of its representatives abroad.
