CHATTOGRAM, Apr 02: The election of the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), the country's oldest trade organisation, scheduled for April 4, has been postponed again, leaving the body without elected leadership since the July uprising 2024.
The decision was announced at a press release signed by Joint Secretary of CCCI Nurul Absar Chowdhury. According to the notice issued by Election Board Chairman Monowara Begum on Thursday, the voting has been suspended due to "unavoidable reasons". This postponement marks the latest in a series of delays for the trade body.
The committee of CCCI resigned on September 2 in 2024. All 24 directors of CCCI including President Omar Hajjaz submitted resignation letters to the ministry. The ministry appointed an administrator of CCCI on September 9.
At that time, an election schedule for the 2025-27 term was initially announced on August 11, with the first voting date set for November 1 in 2025. The election was suspended on October 30, 2025, just two days before it was originally scheduled to take place.
While two major panels submitted nominations and campaigned actively, the process has since been stalled by repeated legal complications, including lawsuits and writ petitions. Despite the Election Board's recent attempt to finalise the vote for April 4, legal hurdles continue to keep the leadership transition in limbo.
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