Bangladesh interim advisor Muhammad Yunus during his visit to New York, made remarks about the state of strained Dhaka-Delhi relations.
Bangladesh interim advisor Muhammad Yunus during his visit to New York, made remarks about the state of strained Dhaka-Delhi relations. “We have problems with India right now, because they didn’t like what the students have done,” Yunus said, alluding to the mass student uprising that reshaped Bangladesh’s political landscape.
He pointed out that India’s decision to host Sheikh Hasina — the ousted leader whose governance sparked waves of dissent — has further strained bilateral ties. “India is hosting Hasina who has created problems… that creates tension between India and Bangladesh,” Yunus stressed.
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Professor Yunus also noted that the Interim Government has intensified efforts to revive SAARC, which has not held a summit in over a decade. He also expressed Bangladesh’s interest in joining ASEAN, stating that integration with Southeast Asian economies could significantly accelerate the country’s development. Additionally, he emphasised the importance of strengthening economic ties with landlocked Nepal and Bhutan, as well as with India’s seven Northeastern states.
“We can accelerate our economic growth through closer regional cooperation,” he said.
Yunus faced protests
Yunus and other members from Bangladesh who arrived in New York on September 22 to attend the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) faced protests outside JFK International Airport by leaders and workers of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League party.
Video footage that has gone viral on social media shows protesters throwing eggs at Akhtar Hossain, calling him a “terrorist” and shouting slogans against Yunus.
Akhtar was one of the leaders of the student-led movement against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in July 2024. When Sheikh Hasina took refuge in India on August 5 that year, an interim government led by Nobel laureate Yunus was formed.