The e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh (e-CAB) faces a leadership crisis as nine members of its executive committee, excluding the acting president, announced their resignation.
The resignations were announced on Thursday, with five members stepping down on Friday according to information shared by e-CAB Vice President Ambareen Reza at 1:20 am in a WhatsApp group of the organisation members.
The executive members who have resigned are: Ambareen Reza, Joint General Secretary Khandaker Tasfin Alam, Director of Government Affairs Mohammad Ilmul Haque Sajib, Director of Communication Affairs Saidur Rahman, and Corporate Affairs Director Shahriar Hasan. E-CAB President Shomi Kaiser had previously resigned on August 13, citing personal reasons after facing protests from members due to his controversial stance during the student uprising. Since then, Senior Vice President Sahab Uddin Shipon has been serving as the Acting President.
In his resignation letter, Ilmul Haque Sajib mentioned that the executive committee election, originally scheduled for July 27, 2024, was postponed due to the student protests. He expressed disappointment that the election board resigned suddenly without consulting the current committee, jeopardising the democratic process. Sajib emphasised his unwillingness to serve beyond the stipulated period and stepped down to maintain the organisation's democratic integrity.
The resignations have left the 11-member executive committee with only the acting president remaining. Previously on Thursday morning, e-CAB Director Abdul Wahed Tamal, General Secretary Nasima Akhtar Nisha, Finance Editor Asif Ahnaf, and Director Mohammad Arnab Mostafa also resigned from their positions. However, most of them were unreachable for comment, and the exact timing and manner of their resignations were unclear until it was discovered that nine members had resigned via WhatsApp.
Acting President Sahab Uddin Shipon, currently involved in relief efforts for flood-affected areas, acknowledged the resignations but noted that they were initially missed due to ongoing work. He told reporters that he would visit with the secretariat and the Ministry of Commerce on Sunday to discuss the next steps to ensure the organisation's continuity.
The situation within e-CAB has been tense, particularly since the postponement of the executive committee election on July 27, 2024, due to a government-imposed curfew amid the quota reform movement. The election had 24 candidates vying for 11 director posts. However, political tensions within the organisation have led to internal disputes, with some members expressing dissatisfaction with the political affiliations of certain EC members.
As a result, e-CAB's office has been effectively closed, and several members have called for the resignation of those involved in political controversies. The resignation of the three-member election board last week, led by Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Hafizur Rahman, further complicated matters.
The timing and manner of the resignations have sparked concerns that e-CAB may need to appoint an administrator rather than rely on elected members to manage its affairs. This could also impact ongoing relief operations for flood victims under the organisation's banner.
The crisis within e-CAB has drawn attention to political behaviour within the organisation and has led to calls for structural reforms from stakeholders in the information technology sector. The situation remains fluid, with the future direction of E-CAB uncertain as it grapples with this unprecedented upheaval.
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