Staff Reporter: Police have arrested an Awami League activist named Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury on charges of throwing eggs at Akhtar Hossain, Member Secretary of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and a companion of the Chief Adviser of the interim government, Professor Muhammad Yunus, who arrived in New York to attend the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. He was arrested on Monday night (September 22, local time) from the Jackson Heights area. It has been learned that police are also looking for several others and have conducted searches at their homes.
At 3:10 p.m. local time on Monday (September 22), an Emirates Airlines commercial flight carrying the Chief Adviser and members of the delegation landed at Terminal 8 of John F. Kennedy International Airport. At that time, a large number of leaders and activists of the U.S. Awami League staged a protest outside the terminal parking lot, chanting slogans. As the Chief Adviser’s entourage came out of the terminal and were getting into their cars, Awami League activists targeted NCP Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain and threw eggs at him. About six hours later, police arrested Awami League activist Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury from Jackson Heights in connection with the incident.
From noon, U.S. Awami League leaders and activists gathered at JFK International Airport to stage demonstrations against the arrival of the Chief Adviser, while the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) organized a welcoming rally to greet the Chief Adviser along with the BNP Secretary General. Leaders and activists of both parties stood face-to-face, chanting slogans. They carried banners and placards in various colors. Tension ran high between the rival groups. Even before the flight landed at Terminal 8, the entire airport area became charged with slogans from both supporters and opponents. From midday, U.S. BNP leaders and activists, along with their affiliates, gathered at JFK Airport to welcome the Chief Adviser, chanting slogans, while on the other side, U.S. Awami League leaders and affiliates staged counter-protests.
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