Nine including BAIRA’s acting president resign

The resignees call for administrator-led elections

Nine committee members, including Reaz-ul-Islam, the acting president of Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies, or BAIRA, have resigned, calling for the dissolution of the current committee and the appointment of an administrator for the organisation.

This announcement was made at a press conference held on Sunday at the Dhaka Reporters' Unity.

In a written statement at the press conference, Reaz said that on Sept 3, 2022, their Joint Coordination Council secured 23 out of the 27 executive committee positions at BAIRA.

However, the panel chief, President Mohammed Abul Basher, gained influence with support from 15 to 16 members, joining forces with four individuals, including the defeated panel chief Md Ruhul Amin Shawpon.

Reaz further claimed that Amin is the "primary instigator of the Malaysia syndicate."

While the current committee's term was set to end on Sept 7, rules required that the president or the current committee form the election commission and appeal board 90 days prior.

Failing this, the Ministry of Commerce extended the committee's term twice, now set to end on Dec 31 of this year.

Reaz revealed that on Jun 24, an emergency meeting led to the formation of a "controversial" election commission and appeal board, followed by the announcement of an election schedule.

Jubo League leader Mohiuddin Mohi was appointed as head of the election commission, with Mazharul Islam, the nephew of Amin, named as a member.

The press conference claimed that this "biassed and inexperienced" commission had staged a "mock election," allowing "cronies of the former dictatorial government" to envision reclaiming power in BAIRA to "reap personal gains" and continue "syndicate trading."

Reaz said the FBCCI's arbitration committee had appealed for the election commission and appeal board to be cancelled.

However, the then leadership of the FBCCI, who had ties to the "fallen dictatorial government," along with their panel chief Basher, influenced by his previous position as president of the Dhaka Metropolitan North Jubo League, blocked these efforts. Subsequently, the issue was taken to court but remained unresolved.

On Oct 23, when the senior vice-president called an EC committee meeting, Reaz noted that it was met with strong opposition, prompting him to order its cancellation.

Despite this, Secretary General Ali Haider Chowdhury proceeded with the meeting "completely illegally," appointing a favoured election commissioner to begin the re-election process in place of the absent commissioner.

At the press conference, it was announced that, along with Reaz, Vice-President-1 Noman Chowdhury, 'Legitimate Secretary General' Shameem Ahmed Chowdhury Noman, Joint Secretary-General-1 Fakhrul Islam, and Cultural Secretary Rehana Parveen had resigned from all positions, including the EC committee.

With these resignations and several 'authoritarian' members in hiding, BAIRA issued statements demanding the remaining "unstable committee" be dissolved and elections be held under an administrator.