BNP, Jamaat lawyers dominate in Supreme Court Bar Association election

Lawyers supporting the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami have regained control of the Bangladesh Supreme Court Bar Association.

After losing majority to Awami League-leaning lawyers for a year, they won eight among 14 positions in the association's election held on Wednesday and Thursday.

BNP chief Khaleda Zia's adviser Zainul Abedin has been elected president in the results announced on Friday.

The party's Joint Secretary General AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon has been elected the association's secretary for the fifth time.

The lawyers supporting the BNP and Jamaat of the blue panel won in eight positions while ruling Awami League's supporters got six including the role of vice president, assistant secretary and treasurer.

The new committee will be at the helm of the association for lawyers working at the country's apex court for the coming year.

Of the association's 5,081 members, 3,928 cast their ballots, making up for more than 77 percent of the votes, said AY Mashiuzzaman, coordinator for the election sub-committee.

The association's election commission abolished a provision of forming party-supported panels, but the main competition was still between lawyers supporting the Awami League and the BNP.

There has been tough competition for the top roles.

Zainul Abedin became the new president with a margin of 33 votes. He bagged 1,928 votes while Abdul Matin Khasru, former Law Minister and Awami League law secretary, got 1,895.

Mahbub Uddin Khokon, re-elected to the post of secretary, got 70 more votes than his rival Rabiul Alam Budu, general secretary of Bangabandhu Ainjibi Parishad's Supreme Court branch. Khokon got 1,916 votes against 1,846 votes won by Budu.  

Umme Kulsum Begum and Shamima Sultana Dipti of the BNP-Jamaat panel have won as vice president and assistant secretary, respectively. 

Others who won from this panel are - Ayesha Akhtar, Mousumi Akhtar, Md Hasibur Rahman and Sheikh Tahsin Ali.

In the pro-Awami League side, Md Aziullah, Rafikul Islam Hiru and Md Shafikul Islam have been elected vice-president, treasurer and assistant secretary.

A total 31 candidates competed for seven secretary and seven executive member posts.

Lawyers Yunus Ali Akhand, Ashok Kumar Ghosh and Md Abu Ehia Dulal, who were not with the two panels, competed for president and secretary posts.