Rival US Awami League activists bicker at Hasina's reception in New York

Expatriate leaders and activists of the Awami League in the US let themselves loose in heated squabbling at a reception for party chief Sheikh Hasina just after the prime minister left the programme in New York.

The attendees, including women and children, were seen running for safety at one stage of the chaos, which lasted for several minutes on Wednesday night New York time.

Some women also fell on the ground. Grand Hyatt hotel staff called in police to calm the situation.

Tension began when the Awami League's US unit President Siddiqur Rahman snatched the microphone from General Secretary Abdus Samad Azad, who was scheduled to deliver the welcome speech. 

Siddiqur delivered the welcome speech instead. Sheikh Hasina was present at the time.

During the around 50-minute speech of the prime minister, chaos broke out among part of the audience. The prime minister's Special Security Force and security personnel of the hotel managed to calm down the angry rivals.

Just after Sheikh Hasina had left the venue, disorder erupted following an altercation between leaders of the Bangladesh Chhatra League. 

Thousands of Awami League supporters were compelled to stay outside the hotel as the venue had been filled.

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam, former foreign minister Dipu Moni, Prime Minister's Energy Affairs Adviser Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury and ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed Joy also attended the event.