Published : 11 Sep 2024, 09:23 PM
Updated : 21 Aug 2026, 11:52 AM
Mahbubul Alam, president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries, or FBCCI, has resigned amid the widespread changes at senior levels of public and private institutions.
The government has dissolved the organisation's board and installed an administrator to run the apex trade organisation until the next election.
Hafizur Rahman, the former additional secretary and member of the Bangladesh Competition Commission, was appointed as the administrator of the FBCCI on Wednesday.
"The appointed administrator will inform the ministry by handing over the charge to the selected committee through a free and fair election within 120 days," an order, signed by Additional Commerce Secretary Nazneen Kawshar Chowdhury, read.
Alam, who is in Singapore for medical treatment, sent his resignation letter to the commerce ministry by email. Zafar Iqbal, FBCCI's head of international affairs, told bdnews24.com that Alam has resigned from the post of president.
In his resignation letter, outgoing president Alam cited his illness as the reason for the resignation.
Amin Helaly, who is currently the senior vice president of the FBCCI committee, subsequently sent an application to the ministry claiming himself as the acting president of the organisation.
Rejecting his claim, the ministry said: "No evidence has been presented concerning the reconstitution of the board and the letter sent by Helaly claiming himself as the acting president is also defective in respect of date. The organisation is not operating as a whole, so the board must be dissolved."
The Ministry of Commerce has dissolved the FBCCI board with the government’s approval. FBCCI is a registered trade association licensed by the ministry.
According to Section 17(1) of the Trade Organisations Act 2022, the government can appoint an administrator by dissolving the board of registered organisations "in the interest of business, industry, commerce, and service sector" under special circumstances.
Alam, a representative of the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry, became the president of the FBCCI board of directors for the 2023-25 term on Aug 2 last year. The Chattogram-based entrepreneur resigned after a year of taking charge.
Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina left the country after the Awami League government was toppled in the face of a student-led mass uprising on Aug 5. She is currently in India.
Since the new interim government took office on Aug 8, demands for a change in leadership emerged in several business organisations.
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, or BGMEA, has also seen similar demands seeking the installation of an administrator by dissolving the board and a fresh election.
