Staff Reporter :
Professor Dr Asif Nazrul, Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh, encountered a troubling incident reportedly caused by former affiliates of the Awami League in Geneva, Switzerland.
Video footage shows a group, identified as former members of the Awami League, attempting to block Dr Nazrul’s entry into Geneva Airport chanting slogan ‘Joy Bangla’ Sources suggest that the individuals involved may be connected to close associates of Sayma Wazed Putul’s former husband.
Reports indicate the group had planned the ambush before Dr Nazrul’s arrival, confronting him over previous statements critical of the Awami League government.
The incident has sparked criticism of the Bangladesh Embassy in Geneva, with some suggesting that adequate security measures were not in place to protect Dr Nazrul at the airport.
Meanwhile, Sayma Wazed Putul, who currently works for the World Health Organization (WHO), is based in Geneva, where some extended members of the Hasina family also reside.
Dr Asif Nazrul was in Geneva as part of a Bangladeshi delegation led by Chief Adviser’s Special Envoy Lutfey Siddiqi, who held a series of high-level meetings with various international organisations.
On November 4, Mr Siddiqi met with UNCTAD Secretary General Rebeca Grynspan to discuss enhancing cooperation and technical support for Bangladesh, including assistance with the DMFAS platform and the ASYCUDA system used by Bangladesh Customs. On November 5, Mr Siddiqi also met with Zhang Xiangchen, Deputy Director General of the World Trade Organization, to explore avenues for strengthening South-South cooperation and WTO support in facilitating Bangladesh’s graduation from LDC status.
Further meetings took place with WIPO Director General Daren Tang on November 6, where discussions focused on the development of a robust intellectual property ecosystem to encourage foreign investment and diversify Bangladesh’s exports.
Earlier, the delegation met with ILO Director General Gilbert F Houngbo, who expressed optimism and support for Bangladesh’s reform agenda.
