Md Jashim Uddin, a representative of the Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association, has been elected president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) for 2021-23.
The elected and nominated directors chose the office bearers of the country’s apex trade body, including the president and vice-presidents, yesterday.
The new committee will take charge at a ceremony on May 19, said Jashim, also the chairman of Bengal Commercial Bank.
“Addressing the challenges of the fallouts of Covid-19 facing our businesses would be my priority,” he told The Daily Star.
“My board will sit with the government to negotiate so that we can successfully implement the stimulus package for the greater interest of the business community.”
Mostofa Azad Chowdhury Babu, a representative from the Rangpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was elected the senior vice-president.
Six more vice-presidents (three from each group) were also picked.
They are MA Momen from Bangladesh Kali Prostutkarok Malik Samity, Md Amin Helaly from Bangladesh Pathya Pustok Mudrak-O- Biponon Samity, Md Habib Ullah Dawn from Bangladesh Leather Goods Manufacturing Association, Md Aminul Hoque Shamim from the Mymensingh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Salahuddin Alamgir from the Pirojpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and MA Razzak Khan from the Meherpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Seventy-eight elected and nominated directors elected the president, senior vice-president, and vice-presidents. As per the rules of the FBCCI, the president came from the association group this year and the senior vice-president from the chamber group.
The chamber group and the association group hold the post of the president alternately.
In the FBCCI election, 46 directors are directly elected (23 from each group), while 34 directors are nominated (17 from each group).
This time, 78 directors will lead the FBCCI as the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies and the Gopalganj Chamber of Commerce and Industry did not nominate their representatives.
The directors were elected uncontested as four directors had withdrawn their nominations at the last moment.
The absence of democratic elections has been tarnishing the image of the apex trade body. As a result, the FBCCI has been failing to play its due role.
Source: The Daily Star
