BNP, Jamaat supporters face off in Dhaka Bar election after years of alliance

Inclement weather fails to deter lawyers as voting begins for the executive committee of the country’s largest bar association

Lawyers backed by the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami have entered the fray against each other in the Dhaka Bar Association election, ending an alliance that lasted over twenty years.

Voting started at 9am on Wednesday at the association building in Old Dhaka amid adverse weather, with proceedings set to continue until 5pm with a one-hour break in between.

It will follow the same schedule on Thursday, Chief Election Commissioner Md Borhan Uddin said, adding that 10 commissioners and 100 members are overseeing the process.

The Pro-Awami League White Panel is notably absent from the field this year.

Instead, the competition features the BNP and Gono Odhikar Parishad-backed Blue Panel against the Green Panel, which is supported by Jamaat and the National Citizen Party (NCP).

A total of 55 candidates are vying for 23 positions. This includes 46 candidates from the two primary panels and nine independent contenders.

Nearly 21,731 lawyers are expected to cast their ballots to elect the new leadership.

Representing the Blue Panel, Mohammed Anwar Zahid Bhuiyan is running for president while Mohammad Abul Kalam Khan seeks the general secretary post.

For the Green Panel, SM Kamal Uddin and Md Abu Bakkar Siddique are contesting for the roles of president and general secretary respectively.

This is the first election at the Dhaka Bar since the 2024 political changeover following the July Uprising.

The Awami League-aligned Sammilita Ainjibi Samannay Parishad has opted out of the race.

Although several pro-League lawyers expressed interest in running as independents, they reportedly failed to secure the permission to participate.

In the previous 2024-25 term election, held during the Sheikh Hasina administration, the White Panel secured 21 posts, including the top two positions.

Following the fall of the government on Aug 5, 2024, elected officials ceased attending court, nearly paralysing the association’s operations.

To address the crisis, BNP and Jamaat-leaning lawyers formed an ad-hoc committee on Aug 13 last year, which has managed the association's affairs until now.