Labour Counsellor at the Bangladesh Mission in Geneva, Muhammad Kamrul Islam, has been ‘stand released’ and ordered to return to Dhaka immediately over the harassment of Adviser Asif Nazrul at Geneva Airport in Switzerland incident.

The Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment confirmed the matter to the media on Wednesday night (Nov 13), citing diplomatic sources.

Earlier, Asif Nazrul, Adviser to the Ministry of Law, Justice, and Expatriates’ Welfare was in Geneva to attend a meeting of the Governing Body of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and to meet senior officials of the organization.

He was heading back to Dhaka after the meeting last Thursday when the incident took place. The adviser was escorted to the Geneva airport by the Bangladesh Embassy protocol vehicle. Upon arrival, a group of individuals reportedly surrounded and harassed him.

At the scene were Labour Counsellor Kamrul Islam and a locally hired staff member, Mizan, from the Geneva Mission, did not intervene when Nazrul was being harassed.

Diplomatic sources suggest that the Bangladesh government considers the incident at the Geneva airport as premeditated. Following the incident, the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh in Geneva has sent a report to Dhaka.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued an urgent circular to all Bangladesh Missions abroad, directing them to ensure proper protocol and security for important government officials during foreign trips and to remain alert to avoid any unexpected situations.

Additionally, it has been decided that Mizan will be dismissed from his duties, and Labour Counsellor Muhammad Kamrul Islam, a BCS 29th batch officer who joined the Labour Wing of the Bangladesh Mission in Geneva in 2021, will be sent back to Bangladesh. Before this role, Kamrul served as the personal secretary to the Secretary of Expatriates’ Welfare.

Media reports identified Nazrul Islam Jamadar, President of Switzerland Awami League, as the main suspect in the incident. On the day of the event, he was reportedly seen wearing a muffler. Jamadar, who is currently settled in Geneva, is known to have married a Moroccan woman after traveling across various European countries.