At a high-profile Clinton worldwide Initiative event in New York on Tuesday, when Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus addressed a worldwide audience, the presence of a young man on stage with two student leaders stirred interest and debate.

While the first two are Yunus’ known allies, the identity of the third teenager, who is not named as a member of his official delegation, sparked speculation in the media and on social media.

In his lecture, Yunus highlighted his belief that Bangladesh’s future would be formed by its youth. At one point, he invited some of the student movement’s leaders to join him on stage.

In response, Mahfuj Alam, a Dhaka University student leader of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and the chief adviser’s special assistant, along with Ayesha Siddiqa Tithi, a student at Brac University, came up to the stage, accompanied by a third young man whose name was not on the official list of companions.

The three greeted former US president Bill Clinton and stood beside Dr Yunus.

Following the event’s broadcast in Bangladesh, questions arose about the identity of the third young man.

Many on social media claimed that he was affiliated with the Awami League; a photo circulating on Facebook showed him with former minister Tazul Islam of the previous Awami League government.

Dr Yunus’s press wing later identified him as Zahin Razeen, founder of Hydroquo+.

It was also confirmed that he was not a coordinator of the student movement.

Mahfuj Alam, one of Yunus’s companions, described him as an intruder in a Facebook post on Wednesday night.

“… I implore his act of sabotage. He joined CGI Event in his own capacity. We, including the members of the delegation there, didn’t know about his presence and intention. He didn’t contact anyone from the delegation.

“When sir called us up on the stage, he stood hastily and ran towards the stage before us. I couldn’t resist that guy from going on at stage, though i was suspicious. Again, I was helpless among world leaders and dignitaries.

“It seems that, it was a pre-designed act of sabotage from fascist ilk. Apologies to the leaders, co-ordinators, and fighters of the movement and mass uprising. I couldn’t deter him from the treacherous act of sabotage.”

Mahfuj also promised to hold such intruders accountable.

Meanwhile, Zahin Razeen told The Daily Star that he had received an invitation to the event as a CGI fellow.

“When Dr Yunus called the student leaders on stage, I was applauding from the audience. Two foreign gentlemen sitting beside me said, ‘You’re a young Bangladeshi, you should go too.’ So I went up to the stage, following Mahfuj Bhai.”

He said he was a Yunus and Youth fellow in 2021. “I wanted to meet Dr Yunus to discuss the progress of my company, Hydroquo+. When I heard he was attending the CGI event in New York, I was thrilled to have the chance to be close to him.”

Regarding his photo with Tajul Islam, Zahin explained: “In 2022, Hydroquo+ worked on a project with Dhaka Wasa, which required me to meet the local government minister, Tajul Islam. That is when the photo was taken. I do not know how it ended up on social media.”

When asked about the student movement, Zahin said he was in the country when it happened. “I am part of Gen Z, so the question of not supporting the movement does not even arise.”