FBCCI elections on Nov 20
Wednesday, 22 August 2007
FE Report
The elections of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) for the term 2007-09 will be held November 20 according to the revised schedule.
Office of the FBCCI Election Board announced the revised schedule Tuesday.
Earlier, the FBCCI held an extra general meeting (EGM) to change the eligibility criterion for the nomination seekers and sent those decisions to the Ministry of Commerce (MoC).
It was resolved in the EGM that, loan defaulters, tax dodgers, convicted criminals will not be allowed to participate in the country's apex body elections.
The MoC has incorporated the resolution with the Trade Organisation act.
The FBCCI election board Professor Ali Ashraf has issued letters relating to the fresh election schedule to the general members Tuesday.
The last date for submission of nomination papers for the post of directors has been set for October 1.
The election board will publish a preliminary list for the aspirant candidates on October 20.
It will publish the final list of the candidates November 5 next, according to the election board.
The general members will cast their votes to elect 24 directors for the apex chamber body November 20 next.
The government will select the remaining 14 directors from the country's leading chamber and association groups.
The FBCCI board of directors comprises of 38 members.
One president, one first vice president and the one vice president will be elected from the 38 members of the board of directors November 22.
This board of directors will elect president from association group this term.
First vice president will be elected from chamber groups and the vice president will be from association group this term.
According to the election office, a voter list containing a total of 1520 voters had so far been prepared.
Of the voters, 316 are from chamber groups and 1,214 from association groups, the election board office said.
But, some members from the FBCCI Arbitration Board also want to be voters for the election.
Sources said the number of voters might increase once members of the arbitration board are included.
Election board sources said nomination fee for the election of director post is Tk 20,000.
Apart from this, the candidates have to submit a declaration alongwith the nomination paper stating that their individual candidature will be deemed as cancelled if he or she is proved to be a convict, defaulter or tax dodger.
While talking to the FE, one aspirant candidate for the FBCCI president Annisul Huq said that his campaign has been going on and expressed his confidence in winning the election.
"I am confident as the general members will elect 24 directors directly," he added.
Another aspirant FBCCI presidency candidate MA Rouf Chowdhury told the FE that he feels comfortable as the fresh schedule has been announced.
"I am in advance on account of vote, but the system of 14 selected directors is discouraging for me as the controversial process was introduced in 2002 with an ill motive," said MA Rouf Chowdhury.
The FBCCI election was scheduled in August 16 this year but MoC had imposed an embargo on the election June 4 asking the apex body to change the eligibility for the candidature before the election.
However, It withdrew the embargo when the FBCCI changed the eligibility criterion for the candidates barring loan defaulter, tax evader and other criminals.
MoC on July 13 asked the FBCCI to complete the election within December 6 of this year.
The elections of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) for the term 2007-09 will be held November 20 according to the revised schedule.
Office of the FBCCI Election Board announced the revised schedule Tuesday.
Earlier, the FBCCI held an extra general meeting (EGM) to change the eligibility criterion for the nomination seekers and sent those decisions to the Ministry of Commerce (MoC).
It was resolved in the EGM that, loan defaulters, tax dodgers, convicted criminals will not be allowed to participate in the country's apex body elections.
The MoC has incorporated the resolution with the Trade Organisation act.
The FBCCI election board Professor Ali Ashraf has issued letters relating to the fresh election schedule to the general members Tuesday.
The last date for submission of nomination papers for the post of directors has been set for October 1.
The election board will publish a preliminary list for the aspirant candidates on October 20.
It will publish the final list of the candidates November 5 next, according to the election board.
The general members will cast their votes to elect 24 directors for the apex chamber body November 20 next.
The government will select the remaining 14 directors from the country's leading chamber and association groups.
The FBCCI board of directors comprises of 38 members.
One president, one first vice president and the one vice president will be elected from the 38 members of the board of directors November 22.
This board of directors will elect president from association group this term.
First vice president will be elected from chamber groups and the vice president will be from association group this term.
According to the election office, a voter list containing a total of 1520 voters had so far been prepared.
Of the voters, 316 are from chamber groups and 1,214 from association groups, the election board office said.
But, some members from the FBCCI Arbitration Board also want to be voters for the election.
Sources said the number of voters might increase once members of the arbitration board are included.
Election board sources said nomination fee for the election of director post is Tk 20,000.
Apart from this, the candidates have to submit a declaration alongwith the nomination paper stating that their individual candidature will be deemed as cancelled if he or she is proved to be a convict, defaulter or tax dodger.
While talking to the FE, one aspirant candidate for the FBCCI president Annisul Huq said that his campaign has been going on and expressed his confidence in winning the election.
"I am confident as the general members will elect 24 directors directly," he added.
Another aspirant FBCCI presidency candidate MA Rouf Chowdhury told the FE that he feels comfortable as the fresh schedule has been announced.
"I am in advance on account of vote, but the system of 14 selected directors is discouraging for me as the controversial process was introduced in 2002 with an ill motive," said MA Rouf Chowdhury.
The FBCCI election was scheduled in August 16 this year but MoC had imposed an embargo on the election June 4 asking the apex body to change the eligibility for the candidature before the election.
However, It withdrew the embargo when the FBCCI changed the eligibility criterion for the candidates barring loan defaulter, tax evader and other criminals.
MoC on July 13 asked the FBCCI to complete the election within December 6 of this year.