Kutubuddin Ahmed had the last laygh in the election of the Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) yesterday when the councillors chose him to be the secretarygeneral of the country's Olympic committee.

In the end, hype about a tight contest ended in a one-sided affair as Kutub. who was acting chief executive of the BOA since May 2004, outgunned Bangladesh Volleyball Federation president and a former BOA secretarygeneral Golam Quddus Chowdhury Babu by 49-24 votes.

The 10am to 3pm polls attracted 74 of the 76 councillors at the National Sports Council gymnasium where leading sports personalities of the country gathered to elect a new executive body led by Chief of Army Staff General Moeen U Ahmed for four years.

Councillors Anjan Chowdhury Pi ntoo, a former BOA vice-president, and representative of

Bangladesh Police Mahbub Hakim failed to cast their votes as they were abroad.

With 29 candidates being elected unopposed, votes were taken only for the posts of the secretary-general and three executive members in the divisional quota in the first election of the supreme sports organisation in seven years.

Mahmud Jamal was the other casualty of the day as the Rajshahi organiser, a disciple of late Zafar Imam -- the last elected BOA secre-tary-general who died in May 2004 — unexpectedly lost the battle.

Four competed for the three places with Qutubuddin Aksir of Dhaka (65 votes). Begum Lily Aziz of Chittagong (50) and Asaduzzaman Khasru of Barisal (43) winning. Jamal got 37 votes.

It was a relief for Kutub, who remained acting secretary-general for a long time. It was also an irony for the successful businessman to have to compete for the post after virtually selecting the whole panel.

Babu, who had said that he

would accept any result sportingly, did exactly that.

"I heartily congratulate Kutub. I have accepted the result as it came. If the BOA needs my help in any way, I will be glad to work for it," said Babu.

Kutub told he was ready to work with Babu. "I will involve him in BOA matters. My plan is not only to improve conditions of the Olympic events but also revive the games that have been dying.

"We are also looking forward to bring complete transparency at the BOA and we have already got near that. We want to make the BOA a more professional organisation than the past"

The BOA constitution, however, needs to be amended, thinks chief election commissioner Brig Gen Shawka t Hossain.

"While working with the present constitution, 1 have found out that it needs some amendments," said Shawkat.

Admitting the fact, the new secretary-general informed that a draft constitution has already been formed.

"We will soon hold a seminar and then send it to the IOC for approval," Kutub added.

THE COMMITTEE

President: General Moeen U Ahmed; vice-presidents: Mizanur Rahman Manu, Maj G#en Ashabuddin, Sirajul Islam Bachchu, Khondoker Jamil Uddin and Mushfiqa Ikfat; secretary general: Kutubuddin Ahmed; deputy secretaries general: Lt Com AK Sarkar, Kazi Mohiuddin Bulbul and Ferdous Ara Khanam; treasurer: Sanaul Haq Bakul; members: Abdul Awal Majnu, Abdul Kader, Anisur Rahman Dipu, Anisur Rahman, Ashraf-ud-Dowla, AKM Golam Rabbani, Hasanullah Khan Rana, M Haiu 1 Qayyum, Khandokar Hasan M o n i r, Mahfuzur Rahman Sarker, Mahmudual Islam Rana, Wing Com (retd) Mohiuddin Ahmed, Moinul Haque Bachchu, Mosharraf Hossain Shamim, M Nazrul Islam, NS Israfil, Parvez Hassan, Quamrunnahar Dana, Kazi Rajibuddin Ahmed Chapal, Kutubuddin Aksir, Lily Aziz and Asaduzzaman Khasru.