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Allegations of influence rife over future polls as FBCCI retracts letter

Refayet Ullah Mirdha
The withdrawal of an FBCCI letter to the apex trade body's election board has created confusion among general members and directors.
It happened as the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry is gearing up for the 2012-14 polls.
The incumbent board of directors drafted a resolution on March 13 which said that the elected directors would choose the president through a secret ballot — and not by raising hands.
The draft was then forwarded to the election board formed on March 14.
But the same board of directors, on Monday, decided to withdraw the resolution letter from the election board.
The letter was withdrawn under pressure from a former president, at least four directors present during Monday's meeting confirmed to The Daily Star by phone.
Without mentioning the name of the former FBCCI president, the directors also said he [the former president] wants the new president to be chosen through a hand-raising method so that his candidate could win the polls through influence.
In the FBCCI election, 30 directors (15 from chamber group and 15 from association group) are elected by the general members directly.
The 30 elected directors along with 18 nominated directors choose the president for a two-year term, with both categories carrying equal weight in the selection procedure.
The letter was withdrawn by the board after consultation with the lawyers, FBCCI President AK Azad told reporters on Monday.
“The board decided to withdraw the letter as it is not supposed to recommend anything to the election board, which is meant to be an independent and neutral body,” Azad said.
“Now the election board will decide how the president will be selected.”
In a phone interview with The Daily Star on Tuesday, Azad categorically denied any external pressure behind the withdrawal of the letter.
“The letter was not withdrawn under any kind of pressure. It was sent to the board to clear any confusion of the law."
Mir Shahabuddin Mohammad, secretary general of the FBCCI, reiterated Azad's account.
As per Trade Organisation Rules 1994 and the guideline of the trade body, the election is meant to be held through secret ballots.
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The Trade Organisation Rules, 1994 states: if there is more than one candidate the voters will elect their candidates through secret ballots.
Section 15B of the guideline also states: “The election board and election appeal board shall conduct all procedures of the election according to the Trade Organisation Rules 1994 and this order/these regulations. The board of directors shall not interfere in any matter concerning election.”
It also says: “All voters in the polling booth shall cast vote through secret ballot under the supervision of the election board.”
“Of course, the letter was withdrawn under pressure from the politically influential former president," said a director present at the
meeting asking not to be named.
Another director who requested his name be withheld said the same.
There were two instances in the past, when the presidents were selected via the hand-raising method -- a clear violation of the rules by the respective election boards.
Some directors, who did not vote for the eventual presidents, were mistreated during their tenures, a number of directors told The Daily Star.
“The deprived directors were just executive members of the trade body for two years. Their capacities were not applied in different subcommittees of the trade body after the elections,” said a director of the current board.
The letter was, therefore, sent to
the election board as a reminder to opt for the secret ballot method.
“We do not want a repeat of such injustice due to the hand-raising system, which, anyways, is not supported by the rules,” the director said.
Another director, on condition of anonymity, also mentioned the case of deprivation.
According to a new schedule announced on Monday, the FBCCI election will be held on November 24, and 30 elected directors will choose the president and two vice-presidents on November 26.
The election board will publish the result officially on November 29.
The commerce ministry extended the tenure of the current FBCCI board to November 30 from June 30.