Saifuddin Ahmed Manik was today elected unopposed President of the Communist Party of Bangladesh by Ils 77 central committee members.

Nurul Islam Nahld was kted General Secretary with 52 voles against his chai k-ngcr Mu)ahidul Islam Selim with 10. Five members ab stained from voting.

The fifth congress began here on October 3 and was scheduled to conclude on October 8 but was extended by one day for the electlop

There was no election to the post of Assistant General Secretary even after 27-hours of deliberations and discussions in the election session which had begun at 8 pm Tuesday. *

The central committee selected a 10 member presidium after consensus. They arc: Saifuddin Ahmed Manik, Nurul Islam Nahid, Shamsuddoha. Sankar Bose, Shahidullah Chowdhury, Nuhu Alam Lenin, Shekhar Datta, Morshcd Alt. Ahsanullah Chowdhury and Kazi Rabtul I luq.

Some amendments to the party constitution were adopted during the session which included making the party president the executive head and making the provision for party presidium.

Earlier the delegates elected the 77 member central committee of the party.

Saifuddin Ahmed Manik and Shams unnahar secured the highest number of 496 votes each. Mujahidul Islam Selim got 451 votes, Nahld 417, Shamsuddoha 447 and both Ajoy Roy and Nuhu Alam Lenin 380 each.