Despite threats and pressure from different quarters, the leaders of Sammilita Samannay Front, which is known as anti-syndicate alliance in the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA), are adamant to submit nomination papers for their panel members on September 3 for contesting the association's polls.
Expressing the pledge, panel leader of the Front Shafiqul Alam Firoz on Thursday told at a press conference that former FBCCI president Salman F Rahman, who is a business partner of Unique Eastern's owner Md Noor Ali, has exerted pressure on him not to contest the elections."
"They are using the name of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to refrain us from participating in the election. I know the Prime Minister doesn't have much time to interfere in the BAIRA polls. No matter who is giving pressure or threat, we will contest the elections by any means. We won't bow down to the syndicate," he said while replying to a query at the press conference held at the Dhaka Reporters' Unity auditorium.
Meanwhile, former Secretary General of BAIRA Ruhul Amin Swapan rejected the allegations brought against them at another press conference held on Thursday at a city hotel at Gulshan in the capital.
Shafiqul Alam claimed the 10-member recruiting agency syndicate has pocketed around Tk 5,500 crore by sending a total 1.85 lakh workers to Malaysia in last two years or so. Besides, they have taken extra fees for medical tests of around 10 lakh from applicants during this period. Of them, some had to pay a fee of Tk 5,400 for each in every test for two or three times.
