FBCCI election: Appeal hearing against court stay on Thursday

The appeal hearing against the High Court order to stop elections at the FBCCI has been scheduled for Mar 30 by the Supreme Court.

The three-member appeals bench led by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha made the decision on Monday.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam represented the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce & Industry at the hearing. Barrister Rokon Uddin Mahmud and Barrister Badruddoza Badol represented the petitioners.

The petition, filed by Mymensingh Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Aminul Hoque Shamim on Feb 6, said that while a director must be elected from every division, Mymensingh was not included in the board. Mymensingh became a division in 2015 and the Mymensingh Chamber petitioned for inclusion in the FBCCI board in 2016.

The High Court heard the petition on Mar 22 and ordered a stay to the elections. It also issued a rule asking why an order would not be passed to include a director from Mymensingh.

The commerce secretary, FBCCI president and election board members were made the respondents in the rule.

The commerce secretary stated that there was no scope of including a director from Mymensingh because schedule for the polls had already been announced.  The commerce ministry offered the same explanation.

FBCCI President Abdul Matlub Ahmad moved the Supreme Court to appeal against the High Court order on Mar 23.

According to the schedule, the FBCCI polls were slated for May 14.