Strongly condemning the harassment of former Interim Government Chief Adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus at John F Kennedy Airport in New York, USA, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has asked its Mission in New York to take up the matter with local law enforcing agencies.

The MoFA, in a statement, also said it asked Bangladesh Mission in New York to identify the perpetrators and take due legal action against those, who have tarnished the image of Bangladesh and all its citizens before the world.

“The government of Bangladesh strongly condemns the harassment of former Interim Government Chief Adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus at John F Kennedy Airport in New York, USA,” said the Ministry.

It appears that a group of perpetrators suspected to be linked with the banned political outfit, Bangladesh Awami League, were behind this harassment committed against Nobel Peace Prize laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus in a foreign soil, the government said, noting that Prof Yunus is highly respected by the international community.

Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Zahed Ur Rahman said the government will take necessary measures over the harassment of Prof Yunus.

Any attempt by Awami League leaders or activists living abroad to engage in such acts would not go unchallenged, he said at a press briefing on the progress of various government activities at Secretariat.

Dr Yunus is currently in the US where an attempt was made to harass him at an airport, he said adding the incident is believed to be linked to Dr Yunus taking responsibility for running the state after Sheikh Hasina fled the country.