Business leaders plead for extensive FBCCI reforms

FE Team | Published: July 10, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

FE Report
A group of leading business leaders has called for extensive organisational reforms of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) for holding a meaningful election.
The call was made at a meeting with Finance and Planning Adviser Mirza Azizul Islam Monday afternoon against the backdrop of a FBCCI proposal for holding election for any post including the nominated directors.
The finance and planning adviser who is also looking into the matters of ministry of commerce (MoC) refused to comment on the meeting.
"We have called for extensive reform in the FBCCI including amendment of its law and voters' list so that a meaningful election could be held," said former president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association Annisul Huq.
If needed, the BJMEA leader said the election scheduled for August 16 should be deferred for completing reform of the country's apex body.
President of the International Chamber of Commerce Bangladesh (ICCB) President Mahbubur Rahman, the chief of Bangladesh Association of Banks M Syeduzzaman, former president of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry Aftabul Islam and president of Bangladesh Frozen Food Exporters Association Kazi Belayet attended the meeting.
Replying to a query, Annisul Huq called the reform proposals taken by the FBCCI at an extraordinary general meeting last month insufficient. "We want more reforms," he added.
Apart from proposal of election to all posts, the FBCCI unanimously took the decision of disqualifying the loan defaulters, tax evaders and persons convicted of crimes, corruption and moral turpitude in the election at the extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on June 28.
Several hundred members from across the country who took part in the EGM took the decisions following a recommendation by the ministry of commerce for the change of rules for participation in the FBCCI election.
However, a government gazette notification issued in 2002 precluded the scope for direct election and provided for nominating 14 directors from chamber and association groups.
The FBCCI is comprised of one president, one first vice president and one vice president with a 38-member board of directors.