Top Bangladesh trade lobby FBCCI goes to polls on Apr 27

The biennial elections to apex trade body FBCCI’s board of directors for 2019-21 term will take place on Apr 27.

Announcing the date on Tuesday in a media release, FBCCI asked the aspirants to submit their nomination papers within Mar 25.

The organisation will accept application to become member of its general body from 82 chambers and 385 sector-based associations until Feb 27.

An initial voter roll will be made on Mar 6 and it will be published on Mar 18 after corrections. The deadline for paying fees has been set at Feb 26.

FBCCI, or The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, has two panels – Chamber Group and Association Group.

The president and vice-president will be elected from the Chamber Group while the post of senior vice-chairman will go to the Association Group in line with the organisation’s charter.

In the last FBCCI elections in May 2017, Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin of the Association Group was elected president.

The organisation said it formed the Election Board with Professor Ali Ashraf MP as its chairman on Jan 26. Former director Jahangir Alamin is chairman of the Election Appeal board.

According to the rules, the FBCCI members will elect 36 of the 60 directors directly, 18 each from the two groups.

The 24 others will be nominated – 12 from as many associations, including BGMEA, BTMEA and BKMEA, and the 12 others from chambers of commerce and industry like DCCI, MCCI, and CCCI.

The 60 new members of the board of directors will elect president, senior vice president and vice-president.

Incumbent Senior Vice-President Sheikh Fazle Fahim from Gopalganj Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Mahbubul Alam may run for president this year, according to members.