Former advisers to the interim government, led by Prof Muhammad Yunus, have strongly condemned “persistent harassment, online smear campaigns and targeted attacks” against the former chief adviser, including alleged harassment at New York airport.
“We express our unreserved outrage and strongest possible condemnation regarding the persistent harassment, online smear campaigns, and targeted attacks directed at former Chief Adviser, Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus,” reads a joint statement issued by them on Tuesday.
The former advisers said the interim government did its best in addressing the Herculean task of rebuilding a nation at a time when Bangladesh stood on the precipice of total collapse following years of “unrestrained economic plunder, collapse of democratic institutions and corruption, systemic tyranny and gross violation of human rights”.
They claimed that the interim government put an end to heinous practices like enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings that were regularly committed under the fascist regime.
In February 2026, the interim government handed over power to a government elected through a free and fair general election, with the hope that the process of rebuilding the democratic institutions, ensuring justice for the victims of the fascist regime and defending human rights will continue in a sustained manner, the signatories said.
“It is with deep regret that we notice that some political miscreants and a vested quarter are relentlessly spreading malicious misinformation and physically threatening Prof Yunus. We strongly condemn such cowardly tactics designed to create instability and undermine the credibility and wide acceptance of the interim government,” the statement reads.
The former advisers stated unequivocally that no amount of intimidation, falsehoods, online harassment, or personal threats will ever break their resolve for the changes July promised.
The historic mandate of reform and dignity achieved by the people of Bangladesh and through enormous sacrifice of the youth cannot and will not be erased by malicious propaganda and attempts of an ousted fascist regime and its supporters, they said.
The signatories are former advisers Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, Dr M Fouzul Kabir Khan, CR Abrar, Dr Asif Nazrul, Adilur Rahman Khan, Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Choudhury, Brig Gen (retd) Dr Sakhawat Hussain, Faruk E Azam, Farida Akhter, Sharmeen Murshid, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki and Syeda Rizwana Hasan.
An attempt was made to harass Prof Yunus at the John F Kennedy Airport in New York, the United States, on Monday.
