During the United Nations General Assembly, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Advisor, is currently in the United States. Controversy has arisen as Jahin Rohan Rajin, the grandson of the late Professor Md. Hanif, a former MP from the Awami League, allegedly entered the “Clinton Global Initiative Leaders Stage” (CGI) event under the guise of a “coordinator.”
At the CGI event in New York, Dr. Yunus was delivering a speech when Rajin, along with Dr. Yunus’s special assistant Mahfuz Alam, took the stage. This incident has sparked debates, with many on social media questioning Rajin’s identity.
Rajin’s mother, Nasrin Jahan, is the daughter of the late MP Professor Md. Hanif. His father, Abul Khair Md. Sakhawat, is a businessman and owner of the Robintex Group. Rajin is also known to be close to former minister Tajul Islam.
In response to the controversy, Rajin told the media that he was invited to the event as a CGI Fellow. He explained that during Dr. Yunus’s call for student movement leaders, he was in the audience and was encouraged by two foreign gentlemen to join the stage. Rajin, a 2021 Yunus and Youth Fellow, expressed his desire to meet Dr. Yunus to advance his work with his company, Hydroco Plus.
Regarding a photo circulating with former minister Tajul, Rajin clarified that it was taken during a project with Dhaka WASA in 2022. He stated that he was unaware of how the photo surfaced on social media and emphasized his support for the student movement.
Dr. Yunus’s special assistant, Mahfuz Alam, posted on Facebook, labeling Rajin as an intruder and dishonest individual, claiming his presence at the CGI event was part of a sabotage effort. Alam apologized to the movement leaders for failing to prevent Rajin’s intrusion.
Al Jazeera investigative journalist Julkar Nain Sayer Khan also expressed surprise at Dr. Yunus introducing Rajin as a coordinator, questioning the rationale behind bringing the son of a supporter of the ousted autocratic regime onto the stage.
