During his visit to New York for the UN General Assembly, Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor, Mohammad Yunus, experienced a series of unfortunate events. The events included an egg attack on his arrival. Furthermore, there are indications that Muslim nations have isolated Bangladesh. Yunus was unable to meet any prominent leaders during his time there.
Yunus took charge of Bangladesh following the departure of Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. He was present at the UN General Assembly as the representative of Bangladesh, accompanied by a political delegation.
On September 22, Yunus’s delegation faced an egg attack from supporters of Sheikh Hasina. In addition, Yunus’s car was blocked. Law enforcement did not take any strong action, and those apprehended were released quickly.
This is the first instance of Yunus facing such a protest in the United States, especially during the UN meeting attended by leaders from 193 countries.
Despite being the acting head of Bangladesh, Yunus was unable to meet with any high-profile leaders during his three-day stay. His meetings have been limited to minor officials. He met with the Mayor of Paris and the American Ambassador, while the Pakistani Prime Minister met with leaders from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Turkey, and also with Donald Trump.
The Bangladesh Foreign Ministry has not provided any comment on why Yunus has been unable to conduct bilateral discussions with key international leaders.
Two significant meetings were convened in New York, involving leaders from various Muslim countries. One was focused on Gaza, and the other on Kashmir. The Gaza meeting included the participation of Middle Eastern countries, as well as Pakistan. The Kashmir meeting was attended by leaders from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Niger, and Azerbaijan.
Bangladesh was not invited to either of these meetings. Bangladesh is a predominantly Muslim country. Since the departure of Sheikh Hasina, Yunus appears to be aligning more closely with Pakistan.