Board formed to 'elect' next FBCCI leaders

The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) has formed a board for conducting the election of indirect ballot for choosing its  office bearers for  the 2017-19 tenure.

Despite the demand from the business community for direct voting to elect the FBCCI president, vice presidents and directors, the apex trade will go ahead with the current system of indirect election as a government-appointed committee refrained from recommending immediate reforms.

Accordingly, the FBCCI at a meeting on Sunday constituted a three-member board to hold the 'indirect election' in May.

Ruling party member of parliament Ali Ashraf leads the board which include as members former FBCCI director Shamsul Alam and former director of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) AKM Manjurul Haque.

Chamber leaders said Md Shafiul Islam Mahiuddin, a first vice president of FBCCI and former BGMEA president, and Md Jasim Uddin, a former first vice president of FBCCI, are interested in becoming the next president and they are seeking government's blessing, something that matters more in getting elected.

Former president of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) president Jahangir Al Amin has been appointed as the election appeal board chief. Two other members of the board are former DCCI director Khairul Alam and Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) director Mirza Mansur.

The election will be held at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC).

The FBCCI is comprised of 81 chambers and 382 associations. A number of 2,230 people can vote. They can elect 32 posts out of 52, the rest are nominated, according to the current system. These elected and nominated directors elect the FBCCI's president and two presidents.

Source: Prothom Alo