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Dhaka, May 19, 2025: A violent clash broke out between two factions of the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) during a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) on Monday, centering on the Malaysia labor market. Several individuals, including BAIRA’s former Joint Secretary-General Mohammad Fakhrul Islam, were seriously injured in the incident.
The confrontation occurred around 11:30 AM at DRU’s Sagar-Runi Auditorium. The press conference, organized by a section of BAIRA led by former Senior Vice President Riaz Ul Islam and Mohammad Fakhrul Islam, aimed to welcome the proposal to reopen Malaysia’s labor market for Bangladeshi recruiting agencies following a recent visit by Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul. The group also demanded the implementation of this proposal during the upcoming Bangladesh-Malaysia Joint Technical Committee meeting.
According to Riaz Ul Islam, representatives of a group that controlled BAIRA during the previous government gathered at the venue before the press conference and obstructed the event, leading to an attack. The clash resulted in vandalism at DRU’s administrative office and injuries to several members, with Fakhrul Islam among the severely hurt. Police later intervened to bring the situation under control.
Riaz Ul Islam stated, “An unfortunate incident disrupted our well-planned event. We were prevented from holding the press conference. Fakhrul was snatched away, and DRU’s admin office was vandalized. Four or five of our members were left bloodied, but we narrowly escaped.”
The opposing faction, represented by BAIRA members Atiqur Rahman and Sajjad Hossain, claimed they attended the event voluntarily but were barred from entering the auditorium. They alleged that only a few individuals were allowed entry, citing limited space, which sparked resentment among general members. This led to verbal altercations, pushing, and eventual violence. They further claimed that Fakhrul Islam’s announcement to cancel the press conference incited anger among members, escalating the situation.
AI/MR
