Bangladeshi Minorities Protest Muhammad Yunus at UN, Demand End to Violence

Several Bangladeshi protesters gathered outside the United Nations headquarters in New York on Friday to denounce Bangladesh government chief adviser Muhammad Yunus. The demonstrators, supporters of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, accused Yunus of persecuting minorities and transforming Bangladesh into a “Taliban-like” state.

Protesters carried banners reading “Stop killing minorities in Bangladesh” and “Say no to Islamist terrorism in Bangladesh,” while chanting slogans such as “Yunus is Pakistani. Go back to Pakistan.” They alleged that since Hasina’s departure in August 2024, Hindus and other religious minorities have faced violence, with many forced to leave the country.

One protester also demanded the release of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former ISKCON priest arrested on sedition charges last year, calling Yunus’ policies “terrorist and anti-minority.”

The protest coincided with Yunus’ second address at the UN General Assembly since the youth-led uprising that ended Hasina’s 15-year rule. Protesters reiterated calls for elections and for Yunus to step down, accusing him of colluding with Islamist groups to systematically reshape Bangladesh.