Uncertainty looms large over REHAB poll

Shah Alam Nur Election of the Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB) has become uncertain as the rival parties could not come to any amicable decision after a temporary injunction over postponement of the poll by the court. As a result, realtors have been suffering as nobody comes forward to resolve their different issues like gas and electricity. Because of some electoral complicacies in participation of the election, the High Court on July 27 postponed the REHAB election following a writ petition filed by the chairman and managing director of Ideal Real Estate Ltd Md Shafiqur Rahman and managing director of Valentine Construction Shafiq Rahman. The plaintiffs in the writ petition mentioned that no member of the present executive body would be eligible to participate in any election for the next six years if he or she fails to execute electoral rules for holding election or annual general meeting timely. "As many as 12 members of the present committee were found taking part in the election, who could not hold the AGM and election on time," the writ application said. "Following the temporary injunction declared by the court, the executive committee election 2011-12 of REHAB was postponed. In this situation we are not sure when the REHAB election will be held," chairman of REHAB election board SM Nurul Haque told the FE Monday. Even after 15 months of the expiry of election date, the concerned authority could not come to any decision regarding the election creating an uncertainty over the issue, he added. "As the matter is now with the court', giving any decision on the issue is not under our jurisdiction," Haque said adding that they are unable to make any comments on the election. "We are trying our level best to come to an amicable solution to the issue." "I cannot say when the election will be held. Only court can give guidelines in this regard," REHAB president Nasrul Hamid Bipu, MP said. The REHAB election was scheduled to be held on March 27 last year, but was postponed on March 25 after the election board chairman, Taufiq M Seraj resigned over the voter list controversy. Later on, the election was re-scheduled to be held on July 30 this year. But the election board of the REHAB had to postpone its executive committee election 2011-12 following a temporary injunction by the court. A total of 994 member companies of REHAB would be eligible to vote subject to clearing all dues and submission of authentic records of their ownership of company.